LIBRARY OF THE Theological Seminary, PRINCETON, N. J. BT 70 .H63 1755 , Hodges, Walter, 1695-1757. ' The Christian plan Sc:c- ^ia,S3o THE CHRISTIAN PLAN; Second Edition with Additions: WITH OTHER Theological Pieces By the fame Author. To which is fubjoined an ORATION By him deh'vered to the UNIVERSITY of OXFORD, OElober 5, 1744. By WALrER HODGES, D. a Provost of Oriel-College. LONDON: Printed for James Hodges, at the Looking-glafs ^ facing St Magnus* ChuTQ\ London-Bridge, M.DqC.LV. CONTENTS. • *HE Chriflian Plarty exhibited in the in-- terpretatio?i of Elohim : with obferva^ tions upon a few other matters and expref- fions^ relative to the fame fubjeB. Pag. 3 1 Mifcellaneous reflexions arifing from a per- ufal of two efaysy lately publifhed by Mr, Squire. Ho which are added^ remarks o?i Hhe hiflorical account of the life of king David. 195 Sheol \ being a brief differtation concerning the place of departed fouls ^ between the time of their diffolution^ and the general refur- region. 267 Oratio hablta in venerabili domo Convoca- tionis, Odtob. 510, 1744. Cum Vice- cancellarii officium tertia & poftrema vice depofuerit author, 323 The The Reader is defired to correft the following Errata, P AGE 317. line 10. from the bottom, ^ket fuperh ^ manner, add the following words, may continue any time on earth. Pag. 334. line 5. from the top, inftead of a full Hop after juvenis, a hyphen. Pag. 340. line 13. from the bottom, jjiftead of inviolatum^ read invtQ* latam. Jldvertifement, QHOULD any reader afk why the ^ Latin Oration is now publifLed^ though the author was unwiUing to pbhge fome friends, who requefted it at the time of its being fpoken ; the anfwer is, that the deiign of the pub- lication at this juncture is to convince the public, that theUn verlity was at that time happy in the good opini- on of their fuperiors and Governors, Archbifliop Potter declared that he pever faw his Majefty better pleafed than he was upon receiving the Uni^ verftty Addrefs^ upon that occafion,^ and the D — of N entertaioed the perfons, .who attended that ad- drefs, with his ufual generofity, and J might fay in a friendly manner. Jt is incumbent therefore upon fuch as Advertifement. as tliarge the place with difaffeEiton^ to fhew when, and how, it entered into the Univerlity, that the time and occafion of its deviating from thofe loyal principles, by which it was always eminently diftinguifhedj may be afcertained, and that fuch as are accufed, may anfwer for them- felves, unlefs the charge be notori- cufly falfe, or not duly fupported. These motives, and no other^ prevailed upon the author to fwb-^ join this Oration^ THE CHRISTIAN PLAN, Exhibited in the INTERPRETATION! O F ^ E L O H I M: WITH Observations upon a few other Matters and Expressions, Relative to the fame Subject. : p^? 'DnpD J!^^en^ ^nao^ d*7WD Ab aterno (ante feculum alii interp.) ordinata fum^ (9* ex antiquis^ antequam terra fieret, Vulg. Adhuc terram nonfecerat, Vulg. Prov, VIII. 23. 28. C. Lucilius dicer e folebat^ ea^ qua fcrlheret^ neque ah in- doSiiJftmis nee ab do£iiJftmis legi velle^ quod alt eri nihil in* Ulligerent^ alteri plus fortajfe quam ipfe, Cic. de Orat. The Second Edition, PREFACE. ETYMOLOGICAL evidence, upon which the merit of the following argument doth in fonne meafure de- pend, hath of late years been degraded in- to the lowed place of proof, and hath been treated by fome, as altogether fanciful and inconclufive. By thefe it is called a medium for proving quodlihet ex quolibef^ and fome frivolous, not to fay ridiculous, applications of it have brought it frequently into con- tempt. But, in this cafe, as well as others, men of perverfe imaginations will reafon from abufe againft ufe, from particulars to generals, efpecially in matters, where the interefting truths of religion are concerned, or may be affedled by inferences and con- clufions thus drawn. It is certain that A 2 y^'^h !%r PREFACE. JewSy Infidels and hereticks, have been foreiv galled by the weapons and forceSj which have been furnifhed from this topic of argumentation. Hence, it is not won- derful, that perfons, who feel and fmart undor the effefts of thiSi power, fhould en- deavour to difcourage the ufe of it, by af- ferting, that all reafoning from it is vague and uncertain, depending frequently upon whimfical conjectures, and flowing from a « quick apprehenfion and readinefs of wit^ rather than from true principles, and a found folid judgment. But k is amazing to obferve, how fuch infinuations and de- vices fhould fucceed amongft Chriftians, and be embraced by fuch, as have their eyes open, and the book of life before them. But that it is fo, I have experi- enced in my converfations with fome, even of my own profefTion, In thefe, I have met with the objecflions above fet down, upon the ftrength of which, the objea:or$ at lead, have infinuated, that the S. S. do not affert it, in fo many words and letters. They think, that if this had been fo, the S. S. would have expreflly mentioned the tranfa6tion, and when the fad; had been re- vealed, the comments, or fuppofed defcrip- tions, would have been eafily and furely applied. Whether this matter has not been fufficiently revealed, and enough faid to juftify the fuppofition, that the word ALEIM may fignify covenanters, in the fuppofed fenfe of the word, will be feen prefently. The covenants v^ith Noah, Aira^ ham &c. fo far as the redemption of man- kind was concerned, were re-eftablifliments, or renewals of this original covenant, as no man, excepting the God-man, could make any contratilt with tli€ Deity 5 fince no mere man has any thing of his own, wherewith he can contrad. The federal right of Chriflians to the promifed bleffings, is only in, and through, their elder brother, and his covenant with the divine being. Believers, whom he is not afhamed to call his bre- thren^ THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. 37 thren, were, and are, admitted as fharers in his covenant, and what he has purchafed for his church, by his blood, by feveral inftituted rites and fymbols, upon the per- formance of certain conditions, though they are not able of themfelves, without divine affiftance, to perform even thefe conditions. — 'Having thus given the reader a general view of what is propofed, I fhall fet down fome rules, which are to be obferved in the interpretation of S.S. expreffions, with an eye chiefly to the Hebrew code. I. Where the expreffions concern the objedt, orfubjeft, of the Chriftian faith, the agreement of the whole fcheme with itfelf, in every part, commonly and properly called the analogy of faith, (recommended by St. faid) is an univerfal and immutable rule of interpretation. It is built upon the di- vine veracity, conlillency, wifdom, and im- mutability. This remarkable harmony be- tween prophets and apoftles, in a courfe of fome thoufand years, in fpeaking 6f the fame important articles, is an irrefragable argument of the divine infpiration of the holy books, and plainly proves that the au- thor was God, \htfame yeflerday, to day, and for ever. His works have the charad:er of C 3 his 38 THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. his nature flamped upon them, and there- fore can never deceive us, when we refer to their confiilency in explaining one part by another, comparing fpiritual things with fpiritual. Whereas human writings, where the fubjed is the fame, frequently abound with inconfiflencies, abfardities, and con- tradidions, efpecially when they proceed from different writers, living in different ages. The pagan theology and philofophy afford undeniable, and copious proofs of this obfervation. There muff be many words commonly termed fynonymous in all languages, which, to an unattentive reader, fometimes appear to be, in all refpefts, the fame, though they will be frequently found to differ in many^ when they come to be minutely examined. It will be right there- fore and fatisfadory, where any expreffions may be fo doubtful and ambiguous, or in- determinate, as to admit of different fenfes, in the opinion of different judges, to find out the principal and leading idea, which is fuppofed to be conveyed in it. Now in the S.S. efpecially of the old teftament, this will be the more eafily done, as the nature of many perfons, adions &;c. was originally intended to be revealed and communicated in THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. 39 m their names, as the infpired writer fre- quently fpecifies. In fuch cafes, we have an infallible diredlion ; and when the word is charadteriftical, and intended to defcrlbe any office, or the part, which any perfon is to ad:, in executing the general plan or defign of chriftianity, a view of that plan and defign, by being compared, will help us to the right and firft meanin2: of fuch name, or charafteriilic ; and the name and thing, fo compared, will illuftrate and mu- tually refledl light upon each other. 11. The fecond general, not to fay uni- verfal, rule, to be obferved herein, is that when a word has more fenfes than one, in different paifages, that is to be preferred, which is moft fuitable to the context, and the plain meaning and defign of the paflTage, where it occurs ; the firft rule of confi- ftency and prefervation of the primary and original idea being no way violated. Thefc rules may be tried in the w^ord MaL/^CH HeL Aj^f^Ao? G7\ Imperator Laf. Lord Eng- lijh. But I will mention one word, which will exercife the curiofity of an examiner in each of thefe languages, and fully ex- plain my meaning. It is Meffiah Heb, Xnroq Gr, Chriftus, Unftus Lat, Anointed C 4 Englijh. 40 THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. En.gUjl:i» Where this word occurs in either of the languages, the deterniination of the fenfe and acceptation of it muft be taken from its correlates, or context, wherein it fhands. And it is eafy to come at the foun- tain head, or primary idea, by tracing it up-- wards, as from the Englijh Anointed, we fliall afcend to the Hebrew Mejjiab. What- ever little variations, or additional ideas, may be taken into the confideration of deri- vative words, (as the laft is generally the rnoft diffufive, and fo lefs determinate) in fuch cafes, the primary idea .will be found, in the firft ufe and original defignation, and muft therefore govern throughout ; at leaft, never be quite out of fight. So in the word Berithy upon a fuppofition that the root is the word for Soap^ or fomething, that, in the nature and firfl ufe of it, is to cleanfe and purify, w^ords derived from the fame pure fountain, (though thefe may, in an inferior fenfe, be called likewife roots, with refped: to the branches fhooting from them) retain the original idea, though it may be extend- ed to other things and meanings. So J5f- rlth niay fignify a treaty or covenant, and an ordinance, ftatute or commandment, as they are the terms and means of purifica- tion. THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. 41 tlon. For from BaR or BaRaR— noun or verb, the word BaRA fignifying creavii^ ordviamty & BaRE to choofe elegit^ may, and probably do, come, as their fenfes of accomodation lead us to fuppofe. The ob- fervance of the holy covenant and ordinan- ces will be, under Chrift the purifier, the moft efFedlual cleanfer, and the perfons, fo cleanfed, will be the chofen, or eled:. Thus BAR fignifies frumentuniy "wheat or cor?i^ when winnowed and purified from all foul- nefs, or unprofitable mixtures y and the eleft are defcribed under this image, as being to be gathered into Chrifl^s garner, or grain ery &c. The propriety likewife and ideal meaning of BaR, when expreffing a Jon^ fully appears, from confidering the word in this light. The well beloved Jhi, eleB^ in the firft and higheft fenfe, was moft emphatically BaRA, or the purifier, both the efficient caufe of, and principal agent in, the work of the true purification. III. The words and phrafeology of all languages ought to be afcertained^ and their true conflruftion fettled by laws and canons peculiar to each. Grammar rules, univer- fally or generally agreed upon, among the bcft fkilied in them, will be the befl ex- pofitors ,- 42 THE CHRISTIAN FLAN. pofitars ^ but the Hebrew^ having no certain rules of this kind, like the Greeks Latin &c. whereon to fix any dependance, mufl he interpreted by a careful obfervance of ihe ulages of words, letters and idioms, in the various parts and paffages of the old teftamentj which is the only book^ wherein tliis language fubfifts in perfedion, and may be fufficiently underftood, by many invariable marks and criteria. It is its own grammar, and will Hand beft upon its own footing. Dr. Allix thinks, that the firft He- brew grammar was made by R. SaadiaSy about the year 1 1 oo, and formed upon the Arabic plan, though their three vowel- points are now greatly multiplied. This Rabbi is the fuppofed author of the Arabic verfion given us by Bp. Walton^ the defign of which may be partly guefTcd by the ren- dering of Numb. VI. 24. &c. which can be no other, than to favour the Rahbijii^ Mahometan and Unitarian caufe. I will venture to fet down here this Rabbi's artful and difingenuous perverfion of this text, which has been alledged by Chriftians, to prove the doftrine of a Trinity. — The three verfes are in our verfion thus — verfe 24, The Lord blefs thee and keep thee — 25, The THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. 43 The Lo7'd make his face (liine upon thee> and be gracious unto thee. 26, The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. The vidg, Lat. the LXX. the Targum of Onkelos^ the Hebrew, Sama- ritan text, and the Syriac verfion, preferve the trine repetition of the word Lord (HeL yekovah) in their tranflations — But the Ara- bic ufes this word for God only once, viz. in the firft verfe, or form, making it govern the other two, by the common copula, with- out any repetition of it — The defign is too obvious. — Besides the tetragrammaton, or name of four letters, which it was not lawful to pro- nounce, in the opinion of the Rabbinical yews, there is mention made likewife, in their books, of the name of twelve letters, which, when explained, is a plain proof, that they were no ftrangers to the doftrine of a Trinity in Unity, however willing they were to obfcure and cover it. Upon this very paffagc in the book of Numbers, the following interpretation is cited from one of the moft celebrated Rabbies, R. Bechai explicans benediBioncm fa-* cerdotum Num. 6. 1;. 24 &c, in qua, nomen Dei tetragrammaton^ ter repetitum, docet 4 yiomcn 44 THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. nomen illud ter repetitum^ diiodecim literas Jlc conti?tens, vocari nomen diiodecim litera- rum — adding (according to Voifins Latin tranjlation) Hcec eft myfUca dochru?n noftro- rum f. m, interpret atio verboriun 23, 24 £fr. Num, 6. Sic bene die etis &c. In no- tniyie fc, hammephorafch. Poi'ro iria ilia 7iojnina^ que^ in tribus ijerftbm 24, 25, 6f 26. referuntur^ ^ocantur nomen duodecim Jiterarum, Jof, de Voiftn. obferv. in Raym. Mart, Pug, Fidei P. 556. edit, Parifiis 1651, where, and in p. 400, more may be feen to this purpofe. ^ As the Hebrew name for Jehovah (niH^ was one, though it confiiled of four letters, fo it was reckoned but one name, though it confifted of tweh^e letters, when it was thrice repeated; to (hew, it may be fup- pofed, that the unity of the Godhead w^as hereby intimated or taught, as confident with the trine invocation, or three perfonal addreffes. Our Lord hath plainly efta- blifhed this dodtrinal truth, by command- ing that the initiation of his difciples Ihall be ii<; TO ovotxcc in, or into, the ?2ame (not names) of the Father, Son and H. Ghoft. IV. When we meet with any defcriptivc expreffion, or charaderiftic, in the old tefta- 4 meat THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. 4S ment, which is lefs clear, and is capable of being more diftincflly viewed, and more furely known, the faithful mirror of the new teftament, where the fubjetft of en- quiry is therein conlidered, and more ex- preflly opened and revealed, will give the trued reprefentation, and refledl the image, in its full and jufl point of view, fo as to leave no room, or reafonable caufe, for doubt or ambiguity. The veil, which is fometimes thrown over the meaning of fcripture truths. In the old teftament, from the nature and intention of the Chriftian oeconomy, under the then ftate of the church, is taken off, by the fuller revelations in the new tefta- ment, where they are exhibited in a more perfect and fatisfacftory manner. This is very particularly obfervable in the firft ap- pointment of proper names, places, offi- cers &c. It is not to be expeded that I (hculd here fet down all the rules and laws of in- terpreting the holy S.S. but fuch only, as are pertinent and introdudory to piy prefent purpofe. Thefe are fufficient — and as many, I prefume, as a reader may be willing to perufe. Such, 46 THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. Such, as are here fet do\vn> are by no means arbitrary, or drawn from the vague, unfupported art of criticifm, but fuch, as may be termed felf-evident truths, or pojiu- latay arifing from an attentive view of the original fcriptures, and eflabhfhed by anci- ent approved ufage and practice — The ap- plication of thefe rules will be eafy. I, In the firft place, we have the benefit of an infalUble light to affifl us in difcover- ing the primary and leading fenfe of this word Elokim^ inafmuch as it \N2isJirfi ufed, or revealed, when it could be applied to, or ftand for, but one being, or thing, though afterwards ufed and applied, in a fecondary fenfe, or knit of accommodation, to other beings and things -, fo that this primary leading ienfe will demand our preference, nay abfolute aflent, where the context will admit of it ; more efpecially fo, when we meet with it, before there could be any competition, or other applications of it, to diftraft our judgment. This was the cafe, upon the temptation in paradife, when the ferpent a(r..:cd £^v, that by eating the for- bidden fruit, they, the new created fpecies, fhould be as the Elohim — as Gods, fays our bible. It does not appear that the Devil ever THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. 47 ever attempted to perfvvade them that the word was iingular, fignifying one perjm^ who alone was to be religioujly worJJdipped^ though by fucceeding in iuch an attempt, he would at once have done his bufinefs moft efFedually, with regard to him, whom he w^ould rival in power. For hereby, the hopes of redemption would have been en- tirely cut off, as the fecond perfon, who was the mediator, or God-man, could nevet in this cafe, have been thought on, or have been fied to, for relief or protedion. The divine wrath, reprefented by the circulating fire, or ilaming fword, turning every way, in the cherubic emblems, might have feiz- ed upon the unhappy feduced criminals, before a friend might have interpofed to ilop its fury and divert its force. Wherefore it is probable that they were partly informed of the nature and intentions of the divine being, and this word might ferve as a faith- ful remembrancer and inftrudor. Other- wife, upon their eyes being opened, the frightful fcene of what they had brought upon themfelves, and the human race, muft have driven them to defpair, and have per- fwaded them to join the infernal blafphem- ing crew. Upon a fuppofition that our firfi: parents a8 th^ christian plan. parents did not know the meaning of the word Rlohiniy if Satan had had a book, or language of his own, and a religion formed upon them, it would have been worth his while, to have referred to them-i for an in- terpretation of this word, as by proving it fingular, he mufl have ftruck two perfons out of the effence, and fo have taken away the foundation of the covenant of God in Chrift. But if this word be derived from the Arabic^ the Aj'ahian tongue muft have been a language before the creation. For if tlie word Elohi?n be Hebrerc, and fup* pofed to be in ufc, at the creation, and a root be prior to its derivative, we muft fuppofe> that the given Arabic root, and fo that lan- guage was In being before all worlds. To what is already faid, to prove that Ekhim Is plural, when it fignifies the true God, I would add one text more, and may fafely reft that point upon thefe proofs, without troubling the reader, ormyfelf, in producing more — we read Gen. XXXV— 7 — And he built there an altar ^ and called the place El-- beth-el: hecaufe there GOD APPEARED unto him &c. — The word for God is Elohim^ with the emphatical He H prefixed. The verb for appeared is plural, with the Fau affixed THE CHRISTIAN PLAN; 49 affixed, and is in regimen with, or governed by, Elohim^ which mufl therefore be plural, and cannot furely, in this place, fignify falfe Gods, the ^r^/J-Ciiriflians themfelves be- ing judges — The original words are- — l^ji^ tID^1^K^ vbK the interlinear veriion in Moftt. bible is revelati fiint ad eiim &Ci If lome will ftill adhere to the diftindion of Elohim\ being Angular, when denoting the true God, and plural, when ufed for falfe Gods, it is incumbent upon fuch, to tell us, (if they admit the ufual tranflations of the word in this place) who were the falfe Gods, at that time, the refemblance of whom could be propofed to Eve, as an in- ducement to revolt from the author of her being and happy ftate. It muft be farther obferved under this rule, that the interpretation of the word Elohim^ as iignifying cove?2a?iters, or the CQntra5iing powers &c. will coincide with, and greatly illuflrate, the Chriftian plan, as exhibited in the holy S.S. This plan, or fcheme of redemption^ appears, in the dif- ferent parts thereof, to be the joint ad: of the three perfons in the divine efTence, freely and gracioufly engaging themfelves to perform their refpedive parts, in effedu- ating this great work* This muft be al- D lowed 50 THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. lowed to be a kindof prefumptlve evidence, in favour of this interpretation, and when it is admitted to be, among others, an inter- pretation of this word, will have a fairer pretence to our reception and approbation, than any other, that does not come fo re- commended. I have not feen any, that is fo. II. The application of the fecond rule above fet down, will ferve as a farther proof of this fenfe of the word Elohim. For the icnfes of accommodation, when the name is given to vice-roys, magiftrates, the agents in the heavens &c. implying mutual ftipu- lations, protection, preferyation, and deli- verance from dangers and diflrefles, prove that the fame powers and ideas muft belong to, and fubfift x^j^T ^l^yj''^ in, the primary and original being or perfons, who were cha- radterifed by it. The principal or leading idea obfervable in the derivatives, muft be moft eminently io^ in the root. If princes, judges, and great minifters, or delegates, are called Elohim^ on account of their contraft and agreement to blefs, reward and protedt, this was certainly the cafe of the three per- fons in the eflence, and fhews the propriety of their being denominated by this name, and will account for their being called the 2 Elobim THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. 51 Elohim of Abraham^ Ifaac^ and yacob : they were indeed not only their protestors and guardians, in an elpecial manner, but the perfons, who were fo guarded by thefe blef- fers and protectors, were likewife that par- ticular branch, or thereprefentativesof them^ who contraded for mankind, in the cove* nant of mercy, and lignified their faith and affent, by inftituted, facrifical rites and ob^ fervances, which gave a title to the protec- tion of Jehovah Elohiffi, The federal right was obtained by Chrift alone, as no other had any thing to ftipulate, on his part, as hath been obferved, but ail were admitted, as brethren^ by him, who had purchafed this redemption for them, by engaging to pay their debt and forfeiture, and by actu- ally, in the fulnefs of time, fulfilling that engagement. III. The third rule will help us to a more eafy difcovery of the meaning of this word, by feparating what are called the ra^ dical letters from fuch, ?.s ferve only to di- llinguifh the number, by a peculiarity of termination. The word, fet down in its textual letters only, as the editors of Mr, Hutchmfons works have given it, will ferve beft for this ufe and purpofe. It is by them wrote ALEIM. The firft three letters ar© D a plainly 52 THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. plainly radical, and muft give the idea; the /Mis, I prefume, only a plural termi- nation, according to the general, and allowed manner of conftrudling Hebrew nouns. So that the fenfe of the ALE muft be enquired into, and ihall be particularly confidered below. IV. It is neceffary to view and confider fome paffages of the new teftament, relative to the tranfadion, fuppofed to be defcribed by the w^ord ALEIM, before we can ap- ply this obfervation. The immenfe trea- fure, that is fuppofed to be folded up, and contained in this one word, is laid open to publick view, in many clear pallliges of the new teftament. But before I proceed to produce fome of thefe fcriptures, it may be proper to fet down the interpretation of two Hebrew words, ufed iox fw earing^ in their nominal and 'verbal ftate ; the firft is as a noun, ^nSS^, as a verb, ^n^^. The reader will find by looking into lexicons and con- cordances, that the noun hath three figni- fications, whofe relations to, or extract from, the fame ftock, or root, do not ap- pear, upon the firft view. Thefe fignifica- lions are, faturity^ the number feveji^ and an oath. As the learned Mr. Holloway has '^tven the moft fatisfadory account of this matter. THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. 53 matter, that I have met with, I fhall tranf- crlbe part of what he fays, as it (lands in vol. 11. p. 58, of his Onghials^ where the whole note is well worth the reading. " This *' (Shehah) is the name of the number *' feven, u^hich was firft applied to the fe- *^ venth day of reft, fandified for the com- ^^ memoration of the completion of this " fyftem, and is a type of the completion " of all things hereafter, in the great fab- '^ bath J or day of r^?, in glory. The pri- " mary idea of it is faturity and fulnefs, " which (if we had not fallen) we fhould " have enjoyed, according to our capacity, " in this world, till our tranflation ; but " which we are not now to promife our- *' felves here, but are to expedl hereafter, *' in the true feventb, ox fulnefs of joy ^ in " the prefence of God, and at his right ha?idy ^^ for evermore^ Pfalm XVI. 11. The " word is alfo put for the a6l of fwearing^ <^ and nominally for an oath y oaths being " originally made, and taken, as with an af- *' pedl to the full and final intention of this *' number. A man mfwearing, doing the ^' fame, as if he flaked or gaged his fe- '' venthy i. e, all his hopes of the divine ^' vifion and glory, in the kingdom of our ^^ Lord, at the refurreftion/' D 3 A 54 THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. A FARTHER reafon may be faggefted be^ low, to reconcile thefe feemingly different and wide fenles of the very fame word. A VERB, formed of the fame textual let- ters, with a Nun prefixed, fignifies to fwcar^ and the ^rrammarians a-jree, that the Nun. when fervile, is the charafteriilic either of the paffive voice, called therefore a Nun of the paffiye, or a charafteriftic of the firfl ■perfon ^/z/r^/ of \}i\(^ fiitwe. They fay that this verb Is not to be found in Kaly with- out afUgning any reafon for it. Perhaps I may offer one, when I fhall have confl- ' dered the other wordj and come to make fome obfervations upon both. The fame grammarians tell us that there- are fome verbs, which have an aBive fenfe, under a paflive form, like the verbs called deponents y in Latin^ of which this verb for fioearing is a principal inftance. Glajfius fays, that verbs, in the conjugation Niphat^ ;ire regulariter pajivay interdum reciprocal rarius aBiva, So that v/e ihould keep to the rule, or be regular, if we can, and not drpart from it, unlefs we have better rea- fons, than rabbinical authority. Some of the inflanccs, cited among thefe lail excep- tions, are either hemantic nouns, or partici- THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. ^5 The other Hei?rezv word for fwearing is ALE n^K, the fuppofed root of ALEIM. The interpretation is, according to Co?2, Kircher^ as a verb, adjuravit ad aliquid^ additd imprecatione 7tiali^ obligavit fejura- tnento ad aliqidd. As a noun, adjuratioy juramentum^ quo quis cum imprecatione mali adjlringitiir ad fervaiidiim pactum. ALEIM, Dens in trijiitate perfonarum, A NOUN of the fame textual letters is rendered by the LXX BAaanox, aptS; and the word for the plural pronoun thefe confifls of the fame letters : and as fome, if not moft, of the principal trees in Para- dife, were fymbolical reprefentatives of fpi- ritual things and beings, and defigned as hieroglyphics or facred emblems, for reli- gious ufes and applications, it is probable, that this tree was intended, by having the fame name, to put man continually in mind of what was communicated or conveyed by the perfonal noun, which was formed from, and of, the fame letters. The learned HuU Jius^ in his fliort lexicon fubjoined to Leuf- den\ Compendiumy renders the w^xhjuravify execrattis ejl \ the noun ^lercus^ Deus\ The famous BuxtorJ] Robertfony Avenarius &c. give the fame account. The curious reader will not be difpleafed, I think, if I - D 4 here 56 THE CHRISTIAN PLAN, here fet down what Ave?iaj^his fays upon this word, in his Hebrew ditlionary, pub- lished in the year 1589, fince the book is but in few hands, and this authority hath not been taken due notice of, though the author feems to have feen farther into the nature and fpirit of thefacred language, than many writers of that kind. Under mViV Ekah, he places t::^n^^^. Of the former he fays, cognationem habet cu?n ^J^, i. e. pofem y item cum Tlb^jura- menfo objirinxit. The latter he makes plu- ral, and renders Gen. I. i. In pri?jciplo creavit Dii cesium & f err am, i. e. trinifas creavit. ri^K dejera'vitj vbjlrinxif fe juramento ad aliquid^ cum ifnprecatione mali^ feu perditio- nis^ dejerando imprecatus eft ftbi, vel alii^ ut pereaty & in nihilum redigatur^ nifi fides fervetur. Inde mmina nbK dejeratio, jur amentum execrationis^ quo quis fe aftriyigit^ cum imprecatione malt S? perditionis, ad Jervandam promijjionem. Eft quoque conjuratio cum aliis^ additd ex- ecratione partis iiiolaturce pa5lum. At rl5^1-lt2^ ^fi f^^'^i^^^ juramentum^ fine i7npre' fatione mali. n^^K Cauda aninralis\ & figurate pom- iur in forma imtrccationis, hixfa illud Deut, 28. THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. 57 a 8. Thefe names^ feemingiy fo different in their natare and meaning, are connedted, we fee, by the idea of execration^ which is the firft and ruling Icnfe in each, rnVs* ^erciis. Though Avenanus does not place this noun diredtly under the fame root, Robertfon does, and the fame textual letters juftify him in doing fo. If it be afked how this noun can be related to this root, and fo be one of the fame fa- fnily, I anfwer, its parentage and legitimacy are proved, I think, upon the ftate of exe- cration, which this tree feems to be under. When it was the fymbolical, and emble- matical, tree of the Elohiniy in paradife, whofe food, being eaten, was the facra- mental teft of a communion with God, as bread and wine are now, it might be faid to have afforded the mod delicious repaft 5 the hiftory of which firft ftate of it was preferved by tradition, according to what is faid by Tibiillus-'-Tlpfce Mella dabant Ker- ens ; and Tibullusy in the place where this defcription occurs, is fpeaking of the Satur- nian times ; the poetical accounts of which are fuppofed to be taken from antient tra- ditions, concerning the flate of innocence. But upon the ALE's taking place, it was made to produce only acorns, which are put 5S THE CHRISTIAN PLAN, put in oppofition to every thing called fruit, and fo it remains in that condition, for a per'petual memorial of this event. If thefe authorities be not fufficient and fatisfadory, the reader may eafily find enough, without giving me the trouble of tranfcribing didlionaries. It is undeniable, and, I think, uncontefted, that there arc many names for God and Chrifl, in the Hebrew S.S. defcriptive of their attributes, as they relate to man, and the osconomy of redemption ; of which, a pretty good ac- count is given by GlaJjiuSy in his OnomatG- logia ; and all thefc authorities were re- ceived, and in force, before Mr. Hut chin- fon exifted. And fince the name, we are now confidering, was the firft, by which God made himfelf known to the new formed human race, and the only one ufed hy MofeSy throughout the hiftory of the cre-» ation, fomething remarkably, and peculiarly inftruftive, was probably revealed by it, for the ufe and fervice of the firfl Pair ; as the fubfequent revelations, and nature of the divine eifence, and attributes, were communicated, in a good meafure, by this method. Two remarkable paffages in the old tef-^ tament have;^ amgng others, been ^Hedged THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. S9 as inconteftable proofs of the primary mean- ing of the word ALE. Thefe are Deut, XXIX. 12. &c. and Ezek. XVII. In the former, we read, that thou 'fiouldeji enter tjito covenant with the Lord thy God, and into his oath. There can be no doubt, 1 think, whofe oath it was, which the IfraeU ites were to enter into, or oblige themfelves to perform the conditions of, fo far as they were able, and were concerned, as acceding parties, to obferve. This is implied in their entering into the covenant; and the word ^ "^^V for entering, requires this fenfe, when applied to this purpofe. But this oath, or ALE, was furely, properly fpeaking, the oath of God, and a very particular covenant and oath is referred to, in verfe 14, to which the Ifraelites were admitted, and by which they made themfelves liable to fuch penal* ties, as were imprecated upon, and due to, the tranfgreflion and violation of it. It is called r\'^\r\ nnjnn paBim ijliid. The oath even that — DKiH T^^X\ jiir amentum ijiud. THE ALE, even that. Accordingly by this folemn admiflion into the original co- venant, called that covenant, an4 tbcit oath, as ' This verb is ufed for the paffing between the dlvi- fion of the facrifics, whereby the parties to a covenant ^xpreiTed their confwit. 6o THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. as they were entitled, upon the performance of the conditions, to the benefits obtained by- it, fo they made themfeh^es hable to many curfes, if they fliould violate them, as mc'i- tioned verfe 25. The other paflage in Ezekiel is the hi- ftory of a tranfa6lion between the kings of Babylon and Judah, The former fafpedl- ing the fincerity of the latter, to prevent a defedion, deiired the fecurity of an oath, ALE, and fuch a covenant, as was ufually ratified by that kind of oath. This was done. But Zedekiah broke through both. The producing this place plainly proves, I think, that there was a diftindt kind of fv/earing, ufed in eflabhfhing what St. Paul calls a ma?is covenant, and the forms of it were probably kept diftind:, to preferve the memory of the original covenant, which was the archtype, from whence the ceremo- nies, ufed in fimilar human contrails, muft have been taken, fince they have no marks of human defignation, or the leaft connec- tion with any didates of reafon, arifing from a combination of ideas, introduced by the fenfes. What can be inferred by this oath being called the oath of the king of Babylon^ and the oath of God^ I know noU Vinlefs it be, that the name of God was in- yoked J THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. 6i voked, to evidence the lincerity and purity of the fwearer's intention, or that it was an oath fimilar to that made by the Elohim, The king of Babylon was a contracting party, and therefore it was as properly his oath, as it was the king of Judah'^, No writer, I truft, would have it thought, that oaths belong more properly to the perfons, who adminifter them, than to fuch, as take them. So that I was furprized to read in a late pamphlet, that the ALE between Abraham^ and his fervant. Gen. XXIV. 41. was the oath of him, who adjured and impofed it ; NOT the fervant's, who was fworn. Neither ecclefiaftical, nor civil fo- cieties, will think themfelves indebted to the maintainers of fuch opinions, with re- gard to the efFedls, and confequences, which will probably follow a belief of them. Such a way of fpeaking, or writing, may have an evil influence upon human ad:ions, whether they be of a private nature, or whether they may concern the difcharge of the pub- lic duties and engagements of men, confi- dered as Chriftian governors, or fubjefts. Oaths are the great fecurity, and furell pledge, for a pundlual execution, and for a perfonal difcharge of them, with exadtnefs and fidelity. And the refpeftive nature of thefe 6i THE CHRISTIAN PLAN^ thefe, as well as their application and ex- tent, are diftinguiflied by the fubjedt mat- ters, and perfons fwearing, not perfons ad- juring, or adminiftring them. It may be obferved here, to obviate any ill grounded fuggeilions, that each kind of oath, in the very * nature of it, implies fome impreca- tion, in cafe of a violation. So accordingly in moft nations and languages, v^here a God and providence are believed in, and relied upon, fome expreflions, equipollent to that of — So help me God, have been ufed. In the oath of a Chriftian, according to this laft form, with the additional words, and 'with the contents of this book, meaning the holy gofpels, the protection of God, in this life, and the hopes of glory and happinefs in the next, are engaged for the performance of it ; God being invoked, as our creator and redeemer, the fountain of all bleffings temporal and eternal. But the oath, named ALE, befidcs the general penalties incurred by falfe fwearers, feems to be liable to fome particular forfeiture, or curfe, and was in the nature of a Cheroniy or devoted thing, when the terms of the covenant, fo fworn to, were broken. This was, and is, the cafe • Plutarch, as cited by Bp. Sand^rfon fays— 7r<«j o^-aoi: THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. 6j cafe of many contrails, where fuch a fti- pulatlon is entered into. As to the objec- tion about CJii'ift's not being liable to this ALE, or curfe, becaufe he performed every thing he promifed, or fwore to do, fuch obje6tion carries its own anfwer with it. To be made a curfe for his brethren, in order to preferve them, was one of the things he fwore to perform, and therefore let little cavillers draw the conclufion. Should it be doubted, whether ALE may indifputably be found as a verb in its given conftruftion, in the Hebre-w S.S. if the noun be there, that will give the cleareft and moft certain idea. For as nouns are nomina rerum^ exhibiting their nature, and properties, and nomina radicalia are allowed a place in lexicons, under that title, they muft be more ferviceable in giving us right conceptions of beings and things, than verbs, which exhibit them only, under fome particular circumftances and condi- tions. Adam learnt his Hebrew from his infallible teacher, by being fo thoroughly acquainted with the nouns, or no?nina r^— rum, that he was probably hereby the beft > natural philofopher, that ever lived. By giving fuitable names, he muft have knowa the intimate natures of all the creation, fo muft 64- THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. muft have had the mod per fed: concep- tions of them himfelf, and have been able to fpeak of them, and communicate his thoughts to others, v^ith the trueft exad:- nefs and propriety ; and having been trained to this method of acquiring and im- proving knowledge, he could not have been fo incurious, as not modeftly to en- quire into the name of his creator, or not to try how far the etymology of it might dve him fome idea of his nature and attri- butes, fo far as they related to himfelf, and the human fpecies. The Rabbles feem induftrioufly to have kept out of fight this kind of oath. For the learned Jug. Pfeifer, treating of the feveral kinds of oaths, in his Antiq, Ebr- printed at Leipfic 1682, for which he cites the chief Rabbinical authorities, wholly omits, as Lightfoot had, the name of the ALE J which, I confefs, induces me to fuf- pedt, that its true meaning, when opened, might, in the opinion of thefe Rabbi eSy fcrve the Chriftian caufe, as, I think, it evidently does, in the cafe under confideration, I HAVE fometimes thought that the name of a city, mentioned "Joftnia XIX, might be impofed upon it, in the way of a me- morial, to record this wonderful tranfac- 2 tion;^ THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. 65 tion, wherein a perfon of the eflence cove- nanted to become a curfe, in the fulnefs of time^ for purpofes then declared, and lince revealed and fulfilled. The name of this city is Idala, which, the etymologifts agree, is compounded of the word H^ — a Hand^ and nS^^, the word we have been confider- ing. The hand is the known emblem of power, and emphatically defcribes it : fo that in this name is intimated, and implied, a conjunftion of power, and a curfe, or oath of execration. The reader, in confi- dering this fubjed:, and the affinity between this name, and the above fuppofed fenfe and defign of the word Aieim, will allow it a proper place and weight, which is all I afk in its behalf. Mr. liutchinfon has laid the beft foundation, that was ever laid, for a true hiftory of the ancient idolatry, by explaining the names of the Canaanitijlo cities, temples &c. Believers, I think, may make a good ufe of this fcience, by confi- dering, and explaining, in the fame way, the names of places, impofed by the peo- ple of God. The cities, belonging to Z^- bulo7ty which was within the inheritance of Juday may fairly be fuppofed to be more fignificant of the properties, and attributes, of tb€ Lpn of the tribe of Jiidah^ when E they 66 THE CHRISTIAN PLAN, ^hey were new named by the Jfraeliteiy than thofe of fome other tribes. Idalah is one of theft, and ftands next^ in JoJJnia^ to Bethlehem^ which is fufficiently explained, and it may, therefore, be fuppofed to have 2 myflieal meanings as Bethlehem confeffedly has. One ufeful refledion arifes from the liiention of coming at evidence, this way, that there is not a word, or, perhaps, ^ letter, in the book of God, that is unne- ceffary, or fuperfiuous. Here are no weeds, no barren land ; but the whole is a fair and fruitful province, ftored with an infinite Variety of food, and refrefhment, for the jnourifhment, and delight, of the fpirit and foul of man. The two genera! divifions of oaths into promifTory, and execratory, ufed by the ^ fchoolmeny and eminent writers, well de- fcribe and explain, and may probably be founded upon the conflrudlion of, thefe two Hebrew words, for fwearing. Under the former, Lightfoot ranges juramenttun pro^ fnijfori'um ; and the above received con- ftrudlions of the other defcribe very fully the nature of it, and juflify its diftinctive' name * See A(iuin, Sec, Sec, Sandcrfm*^ Prsele£l. dt Ju- ram. &c. THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. 67 l^ame of cxecratory. But as there is an- other word, which feems, in its meaning, to have feme reference to the ALE, and has been taken notice of, by fome, in this view, I fhall briefly confider it, in this place. It is the word, for that fort of curfe, which is fuppofed to be the efFedt of imprecation, ufed in the oath ALE, by which it is fpe- cially diftinguifhed. This word, we ar^ told, comes from ^^p, which is thus inter- preted by Coti. Kircher^ proprie alleviari vel ponder e, vel homre, vel exijlimatione^ & vpponitur ijerbo IJiD *. Now, upon a fuppofitlon, that a covenant was made, before all worlds, between the three perfons of the divine elTence, and that that covenant was ratified by fwearing, this tranfadlion muft have been the original, and foundation of oaths. But in this, as in other inftances, where the fame words are ufed to defcribe the adtions, or perfedlions, of the Deity, and the fimilar adions, and operations of the human mind, and its fa- culties, (as when we fpeak of the juftice, wifdom, goodnefs &c. of God, and man) there is an analogy between them, though E 2 they » Mr. Hutchlnfon has a very learned and inflriuStive treatife upon this word, entitled ^/er;' or gravity^ where- in the phyftcal^ and correfponding fpiritual^ nneaning of It is opened and explained. 68 TtlE CFJRISTIAN PLAN. they differ in kind, as well as degree, this corrimunity of names ferves to give us true, though not adequate^ ideas of what is pre- dicated of the Deity. And this obfervation will illuftrate the cafe before us. The oath of God and man, though agreeing in one general refemblance, or correfpondence of ideas, are widely different, in fome impor- tant refpefts ; for inftance, the oath of man is principally defigned ad jidem faciendam^ that of the Deity, ad enarrandum decretum^ & vohmfafem promtilgandaniy inajori cumfo- lennitate. From a tradition, concerning thistraiif- adlion, the ancitnt heathen poets muft have taken many of their defcriptions, concerning the declarations, and fanclions, of their fu- preme God, as they cannot, I think, be deemed human inventions. Hence, as learned men have obferved, are derived their Zvjq o^mo^ Jupiter f(eder at or ^ and their auguft defcriptions of Jupiter ^ publifhing his decrees, and the manner of their re- ception, among all the celeflial inhabitants But as the ALE, or execratory oath, fo called from the fecond perfon's engaging provifionally to redeem man, by fuffering, and becoming, a curfc for him, for which end, THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. 69 end, he was to affume the human nature, and to become incarnate, was the principal part of the fcheme of redemption, the per- fons, covenanting to effedl this gracious de- fign, might with great propriety be deqorai- nated Aleim, For though the fecond per- fon undertook the part of becorning a curfe, in his humanity, yet the other two perfons of the effeqce took, and performed, their re- fpedivje parts, in the execution of this amaz- ing plan of redemption. All the contrad- ing parties were therefore ALEIM, and were to be confidered, under that relation, till the mediatorial fcheme fhould be com- pleated, and God fhould be all in all, B Y this time, I hope, it appears, that the original covenant of the Elohim^ of which farther evidence, not to be que- ftioned, will be given, in what is to folr low, confided of two parts \ the firft was an engagement, to create this world— the fecond was an engagenient for the provifio- nal redemption of mankind. The two Hebrew words for (wearing exaftly corre- fpond with this fuppofed flate of this cafe. The Shebah, or Nifibang^ relates princir pally to the iirft part, though cqnficjere^ generally, as a promiflbry, and aflertory path, which Sanderjon plapes^ ujider the E 3 fame 'j6 THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. fame head, it extended much farther, and reaches to the end of all things, the final feventh, and fabbath, as will be obferved more particularly, a little below. Now as the word Shebah fignifies y^'u^w, or the firft perfect revolution of time, from the feveral ads, and parts of the creation, which were in their courfe of production, and were compleated, in that time, the name of the oath, ratifying the decree in that part, may be fuppofed to be annexed to the fame word, to perpetuate the occafion, and me- mory of this tranfadtion. The addition of the paffive Nun to this noun, might well fhew, that when Mofes committed the hi- ftory of the creation to writing, this part of the promife was performed, and the aftion 'ffjL oven When a pronoun fingular is affixed to this verb, and predicated of the Deity, the unity of the divine Being may be in- tended to be thereby intimated, as the plu- rality is, by the Nu?i prefixed. For the doftrine of a Trinity, or plurality of per- fons, in unity, is pointed out, to our obfer- vation, by the H. Ghoft, in many places, by proper expreffions, and afcertained by forms of writing, not to be eafily perverted by a wrong conftruftion. Thus we read in Jojhica XXIV— 19— -Min to'e^^ip xz^rh^ Deus^ THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. 71 Deus, Elohim fanBi ipfe, as th^ words are literally, and truly, rendered, in the interli^ near verfton of Mont, biblp. The N^m likewife, confidered as denqdng the firfl perfon plural, n^ufl prove that more per- fons, than one, were concerned in thi« oath^ and in the aft of creation. P^ Nun of the future fignifies that there was a promiflbry oath, of which ^ great part was ftill to be perfornied, inftituro. But the oath of the mediator, or God-man, which is particu- larly mentioned, Hebrews VI. and which will be foon laid before the reader, with proper obfervations, confifted of the nature of both the oaths, here fet down, viz. the prornifFory, and execratory. He was con- cerned in the former, inafn;iuch as the world was created by him,yir without hi?n^ was not any thing made^ that was made. In the redemption. part, he afted as perfeft in its expiring moments, that it might die, in order to put the finifeing ftrolce to this interefting and aftonifliing fcene of infinite wifdom and mercy. After the determina- tion of this event, an everlafting kingdom p 4 was 72 THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. was promifed to the man Chrijl JefuSy and a pofterity, and progeny, which fhould be without number, and without end. By this promiffory oath, he was to be 2i prieji for ever^ after the order of Melchifedek^ and thereby admit his friends, and followers, into the true holy of holies, himfelf appearing in the higheft regal dignity, upon an ever- lafling throne of glory. With regard to the humanity, he ftipulated ^ (and no perfon, who was not God, as well as man, could be a party with the other high contradling powers) to pay a pcrfedl obedience to the divine will and laws, and promifed the performance of all rightcoufnefs, which it became him, to perform, who was to be without fin, that he might not be charge- able with any omiffion of duty, or com- miffion of aftual crimes. He could not have borne, or atoned, for the iniquities of others, had he been laden with any guilt of his own. He, therefore, engaged to fuffer the divine wrath, due to all tranfgreffors, that * Thereby our Redeemer laid himfelf under the obli- gation of a perfonal duty, to be performed, on his own account, and the payment of a debt or penalty, to be undergone, for his forfeiting and infolvent brethren. The words of Bp. Sanderfon^ in the tra£t above cited, aptly defcribe thefe engagementF, refpondei duplici huic debito duplex item obhgatio, ejufdem plane denominati^ onis : obiigatio fc. ad officium faciendum^ ^ ohllgatio ai fupplicium perftrmdiwh THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. 7- that is, to all other men 5 was contented, for this purpofe, to be for a little time-^ (i^xx^ Tt (during his abode, in thefe lower regions) lower tha?i the angels ^ to pafs through the various, fad, fcenes of human mifery and diftrefs, and at laft, upon the crofs to empty himfelf of all his glory, by which, and his long courfe of fufferings, he fully explained the meaning of the word KaLaL, and the original intention, and primary defigned application, of if*. He became of no reputation^ was defpifed and rejected of Meny fufFered the moft ignomi- nious kind of death, under the moft aggra- vating circumftances, as a common, or ra- ther, uncommon, malefadlor. The word Eloahy therefore, which fo frequently oc- curs in the S.S. and is rendered God, moft properly, and eminently, defcribes this fuf- ferer, fuppofing it to be the participle paf- five of the verb nb^. And fuch a re- markable agreement of fafls and circum- ftances ftrongly plead for this fenfe and conftruftion, where plain rules and laws do not clafti with, and exclude, fuch an in- |:erpretation. Minute * Compare thefe defcrlptions with the above interpre- tation oi 7'7p-~ 74 THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. Minute difquifitions about fpecs and dotSy and Rabbinical inventions, of arbi- trary rules or exceptions, are not within the compafs of my prefent defign. The noble evidence, arifing from a view of that har- mony, and concent of parts, which opens upon us, in fuppofing that Eloah fignifies one of the Aleim^ who made himfelf a curfe for us, and fuffered accordingly, is fufficient evidence for my own fatisfaftion and convidtion, and fuch, as demand more, muft wait till it is given, and till it be rea* fonable for them, or their adherents, to e:?^- pe one of the two opi- nions, viz. the Arab-derivation muft be fet down, only for form fake, and, there- fore, I think, wants no other refutation, efpecially as. he adds in his differtation, that R. Abarbanel acknowledges that the word r-^b^e Deut. XXXII. 17. fignifies Deus. See what is faid above in page 24. Such, as have been chiefly converfant in modern tradts of divinity, may, I fear, be induced 76 THE CHRISTIAN PLAN, induced to believe, that the great, fublime truth, as above reprefented, is matter of mere fpeculation, or, perhaps, nothing more than a private v^him, and opinion, peculiar to fome late writers, who are men of no figure, or charader, in the church, that is, dignified and diftinguiflied by no titles or preferments. Thefe, therefore, have no greater regard, or authority, than the poor wife man had, whofe advice had faved the city. But Solomon tells us, that no man re- membered that fame poor man, whofe wif- dom delivered the city — Ecclef. IX. 15. of which he affigns the caufe, in the following verfe — The poor man's wifdom is defpifedy and his words are not heard^ adding for the comfort of the poor man, fo defpifed — The words of wife men are heard in quiet ^ more than the cry of him^ that ruleth among fools. Both are defpifed and rejcdted for the very fame reafon \ though their labours and en- deavours might, by the blefling of God, and the allowance of a free courfe, and un- interrupted flow of operation, fave the moft valuable part of every city. The bufinefs indeed of fome writers, who are called found, Chriflian Di'uines^ feems to be, to perfwade the world, that Chriftianity is not plder than the incarnation of our Lord, an^ I thereby THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. 77 thereby, they give a more degrading notion of its inftitution, than even Tindal himfelf did, though the ancient Jewip church, as appears from the * Hargums^ and even from Talmudsy v^ere well acquainted w^ith this high antiquity of the mediatorial fyftem. As the book of Pfahns contains many re- markable paflages, which have a direct af- peft this way, it will be proper to take no- tice of a few, to introduce and explain, what will be produced from the new teftament, in confirmation of the fame point; many paffages and expreffions in the latter, being taken from the former, and applied by the infpired penman. Such applications, and interpretations, are not to be evaded, or con- tradicted, inafmuch as prophets and apo- ftles are alike the fcribes of the felf fame fpirit, always didlating the fame truths, though at fundry times, and in divers man- ners. As this paflage is referred to, in the margin of our bible, in Prov. VIII. 23—- the examination oithat fcripture will greatly illuftrate, and confirm the fuppofed knk of this^ and tend to prove the point under confideration^ * Gen. 3. 24. Targ, J. B. Uzziel cited in Mr, Hutchinfo7i^ & glory or gravity — Antequam crearetur mun- diis^ creavit legem,— ^HieroJoL Antequam crearetur muri' dus diiohus millibiis annorum, Grotius upon Eph. i, 3, 4. Sic legem fuijfe ants mundumy aiunt Hebrsei. ViJ, Thalmiidem de Votis. 78 THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. confideration, ^nDD^ iDb)V^ » in our tmn- flation, / wasfet upfront everlafling — 'Lat. Mont. A feculo pri7icipium hahui. The holaniy or feculum, here underftood, muft be that of Chriftianity. So that z. feculo, or, as fome render it ^ ante feculum^ muft be ^f, yr^;«, or before, the commencement of thatfyftem. The other word, here ren- dered fet up, and in Pfal. II, 6. fet, pro- perly fignifies the ceremonial of inaugura- tion. Its literal conftrudlion is to pour forth, and implies libation, or fuch a fufon, as was ufed, when perfons, or things, were fandlified, or confecrated, by pouring oil upon them, as typical of the holy fpirit. And as in fufion, the perfon, or thing, poured upon, is, as it were, covered over by that adtion, anointing, and covering, are ufed to denote the fame thing, or the caufe, and effea. S^e Ifaiah XXX. i. So 'Elias being commanded to anoint Elifia, he did it, by throwing his mantle over him, which was, to all intents, and purpofes, anointing him. From the undoubted interpretation* therefore, • Expojiiio ejus eft tegmen, operimentum, aut fujio ^c, ^Di P^^^^fy libavit — unxit^ ordinavit, conjiituit, inau- tgravit, regnare fecit. Niphal ^0^ conjiitutus, ordina^ tusy un^us fuit, regnavit^ principatum hahuit, princeps coTi/litum fuit. M. de Galas. *» The Mem prefixed to th« feveral nouns in this paf- fage requires this conftrud^ior*. THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. 79 therefore, of fhefe words, the true fenfe of them muft be, in an eafy, and juft para- phrafe, as follows, " I was inaugurated, *' anointed, or confecrited, to my high *' offices of king, prieft, and prophet, upon " the beginning of the Chriftian fcheme, '' or fyftem." And this, I think, muft have been, in purfuance of the covenant^ and decree, publifhed, and declared, upon that day, as Robertjon fpeaks, jilius Dei^ qui eft fapientiay ante feciilaria tenipora, decla^ rat us eft rex^ coram angelis Dei, As the Ariam acknowledge, that Chrift is under- flood here, under the word wifdom, it may be needlefs to offer any thing, in proof of it- The Fathers, as cited by Salazar^ interpret many of thefe expreffions, concerning wif- dom, of the humanity of Chrift, in whom, the Aria?is acknowledged but one nature* He adds a curious obfervation upon the LXXverfion of Ifai. XXX. i. which they render o-yv^yjjca? &c. Forte refpexerunt^ fays this learned man, ad o-sro\,^x; Gracorum: nam c-mevhiv vr^og riva. eji cum aliquOy de PACE PACISCI— And was not this the fubjedt of this covenant, and the intent of this inau- guration, when our redeemer was confti- tuted (Ka7€$-a5»jy |3ao-iAguj prout LXX, upon Pfalm IL V. 6.) king, and prieft, to medi- ate $6 TtiE CHRIS'flAN PLAN. ate our peace, and to make reconciliation ? But St. Jeroms comment upon ego aiitem conjlitiitm fum rex ab eo Pfal. 11. v. 6^ is worthy particular attention. Ego autem (vox Chrifii) ab eo^ — Deo patre — Though the fame Hebrew word be ufed Prov. VIIL 23. and Pfalm II. 6. the LXX have ufed two words, in tranflating it. But I have anticipated what belongs to the evidence of Pfalm II. 5, 6, 7. which I now proceed to confider — There we read yet have I Jet my k'mg^ upon my holy hill of Zioriy I will declare the decree^ the Lord hath faid unto me^ thou art my fon^ this day have I begotten thee — Mr. Hutchinfon ob- ferves upon this place " the duration of this " world was divided into fix, or feven days, *' fo Pfalm II. 7. Thou art my Joiiy this day *^ have I begotten thee^ was the day of ** Chrift, the commencement of Chriftian- " ity.'* This decree was emphatically ve- rified in feveral manifeflations of our Lord, upon more occafions, or days, than one, fo that each might be called this^ or that day. The firfl was, when the decree was firft made, by covenant, between the three perfons, to which Rev. XXL 5. refers, and by which it is fatisfadorily explained — And he that fate upon the throne faid—y — / will be THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. ^i ^e his God^ and be jhall be my fon. The fc- cond day, or dccafion, was, when the firft begotten was brought into the worlds tieb. I. A third is applied, A6ts XIII. to the refur- rfedllon of Chrift from the grave. The word declare lignifies, to fet forth, record, and prdmiilgate, as hunlan laws are, when they are enadled by proper authority, for the obfervarice 6f thofe, to whorri they are binding ; and St. Jerom calls the matter of this firft decree, or ftatute laW, * doElrinani evangelii. The Confedration of the fon of God to his eVerlafling priefthood feems to have been performed, as hath been ob- ferved, upon this firft day of Chriftianity, when promife, with an oath, was made ; as is farther ftiewn in that declaration, which is fet down, Pfalm CX. 4. the Lord hath fworny dnd idill not repent (iniplying, I think, that God might alter, upon a change of circumftances, fome promiflbry oaths, as well as threats, confiftently with his vera* city) thou art a prieji for ever^ after the F order*' * V. r. in orig. Hexapla ed. Montf. ^i^^n locum^ fays y.Qe.rxy^iXXm ck Ofou J. S^ ^' demption) to perform whatfoever thou> '' my God, fhalt require of nie." If this fecurity was not given, on the day of the commencenient of Chriftianity, which was furely the moft proper time for it, when, and where, was it given ? Bp. Patrick al- lows, as do the Rabbles, his Idrdfhip faysj that this Pfalm is applicable only to Chrift, fo that the colloquy, mendoned Pfalm CX^ ver. I. and the Lordjaid unto my Lordi^Q. muft refer to what pafTed on this firft day ; — I wi(h the learned Prelate had omitted one part of the argument^ prefixed to this Pfalrii, where he fays, that there is con- tained, in this Pfalm, a plain predifllon of the divinity of Chrift. The phrafedlogy, of predi^iing divinity y is fo far from being in- telligible, that it feems to be a contradic- tion in terms. I wifh, likewife, that he had been more careful to render to the God-man his due, in the general courfe of his comment upon the Pfalms, ^nd Pro- Verbs. This is a defideratum, in Pfalrri LXXXIX. part of which, I fliall now clte^ to ftrengthen my prefent argunlent. The fatal folly of the Jews in making the mea7is the end, and refting in the types^ which pointed to Chrift, and were defigned only to lead them thither, brought upon F 2, thenn §4 THE CHRISTIAN PLAN, them, the ruin of their church and nation, with all the calamities, and miferies, confe- quent thereupon-— and is the occafion of the veil flill continuing over their eyes, and hearts, at this day. They have fpared no endeavours to bring the fame judgments upon us, by fuggefting a literal interpreta- tion of many types, as the only true one ; thereby to deprive us of the nobleft evi- dences of our religion, and the moft illu- ftrious prophetical defcriptions of king Mef- fiah. Their fuccefs has been too great, as muft be obferved by thofe, who have had occafion to perufe commentators upon the holy books. But the book of Pfalms has fuffered moft remarkably by this kind of profanation, from the pens, and artifices, of thefe menV Satan feems-to have been very bufy, in obfcuring the glorious reprefentations of that king, and kingdom, which were to vanquifli, and triumph, over him, and the regions of darknefs, by a compleat victory, and extinftion of his powers, and domi- nion. And this is to be done, he knows, by perfwading mankind to acquiefce in a dead letter, without attending to any typi- cal meaning, or myftical afpedt. For thefe defcriptions placed in this juft, and firft in- tended. THE (SHRISTIAN PLAN, 85 tended, point of view, muft neceffarily be moft hateful monuments to the Devil, and his angels, as they are ftanding, and unal- terable affurances, of their everkfling mi~ fery, and deflrudlion. The removal of fuch tokens out of their view would, per- haps, give them a little prefent eafe ; but the foldiers of Jefus Chriji need not, one would think, lend their afiiftance, in tak- ing down trophies, which do fo much honour to the captain of our falvation, and give life, and fpirit, to all, who fight under his banner. Examples of this bafe, unac- countable, pradtice may be given from the comments upon almoft every Pfalm. But I muft content myfelf, at prefent, with aix exemplification of what is here obferved, in a few remarks, upon the Pfalm before us. The chief parts of it are not capable of being applied to any, but Chrift, though the greateft art and violence have been ufed to diftort them, and make their fenfe, and meaning, terminate in what happened to the king of IfraeL To be particular-— We read verfe 3. / have made a covenant with my chofen^ I have pworn unto David my fervant, 4 Thy feed will I ejlablijh for ever, and build up (Heb, I have built) thy throne to all generations, 5, And the hea-- F 3 ven% $6 THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. vem JJmll pr'dije thy Tjonders (Heb. wonder^ ful, or vvQnderfal one.) O Lord, thy faith- fulnefs alfo in the congregation of the faints. Thefpeaker,thrQughout this paffage, is God, ^s there is nothing in the text to warrant a change, in this refpedl. The perfon, of whom he fpeaks, is called my chofen. The fubjedt is an account of fome important declaration formerly to David, concerning the perpetual eftablifliment o? a kingdom in him, and his family. David, we know, is^ by interpretation, the beloved one. The king oi Ifrael might be called fo, in a lower knk, as he might, by being preferred to his bre- thren, in the appointment of a fucceffor to Said, be called by God, 7ny chofen. But both thefe titles, and defcriptive appella- tions, belong to him >«'»''' ^■l^x^\ who was the rooty and the offsprings of David, to whom a voice, from heaven, faid, thou art my beloved fon, in whom, I am well pleafed. There are fome marks, and circurnftances, in thefe verfes, which muft determine the application to tlie latter David, and exclude entirely the king of Ifrael, fo named. I do not find, upon confulting the proofs referred to, by commentators, and the hiflory of David, in the book of Samuel, that God fjyer made a covenant, properly fo called, >vith| THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. S; with him. King David made a league with his fubjedls, when there might be, and were, I fuppofe, ftipulations of pro- tecflion, and obedience, which are ufual at a prince's firft coming to the throne, and, perhaps, a coronation oath was given, for a more folemn ratification, and fecurity. There feems to have been, indeed, a far- ther hmitation of the Redeemer's human extradl, and an affurance given by Nathan, the prophet, that he fhould be of the fa- mily of David, 2 Sam. VII . 12. But the feed, to whom a perpetual eftablifhment of a kingdom is therein promifed, can be none other, than the ^<1^ ipfe^ who, upon the fall, was promifed, the very perfon, who fhould break the Serpent's head. This kingdom was to be an everlafting kingdom. He alone was to be, and to have, that light, in himfelf, which he had power to com- municate, and place, in his children, which is mentioned, 2 Chron. XXI. 7. No other throne was eftabliflied for ever &c. or any other throne of fuch duration, as to conti- nue from generation, to generation, till time fhould be no more. Bifhop Patrick obferves, that a period was put to king Da- vid's family, and kingdom, in the days of Jehoiakin^ or of Zedekiah. F 4 If 88 THE CHRISTIAN PLAN. If thcfe arguments be not conclufive, the next yerfe will farnifh us, witji fomc-s thing, that is unanfwerable. God woul4 never ufe the ftyle, Lordy when fpeak- ing of, or to, the king of IJrael^ thougl^^ he fays to his own fon, tby throne y O Gody U for ever and ^lu^r--— Neither would the heavens be err^ ployed in praifing a tempo- rary monarch, much iefs would the congre- gation of faints, or b^^' levers, make fuch a one the objeft, and fr^hjedt, ofpraife, and adoratiqn. From thefe premifes, \ con- clude^ that the covenant, and oath, men-? iioned in verfe 3, muft be thofe, which "Vsrere made between God, the father, and God, the fon, when the decree, referred to in Pfalm II. was made, and I refer the reader to what hath been faid above, upon that place, and the authorities, there fet ^own. It is incumbent upon fuch, as arbi- trarily rejeft this evidence, to aflign any time, fmce the creation of the world, wheq fuch ^ covenant v/as made, between the perfons of the effence, or the eflence, and humanity of Chrift, and ihat^ ratified by an qath. The paffages, now cited, from th^ book ^ of Pfalms, will naturally direil, and lead, a believer to enquire, and examine, what correfponding THE CHRISTIAN PLAN, 89