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Sect. I.

No lefs impertinent, and alfo very unfair, is his Criticism on the Word Jafbar, tranflated Upright. Because the Word fometimes fignifies Right, he would from thence infer, that it does not properly fignify a moral Rectitude, even when ufed to exprefs the Character of moral Agents. He might as well infift, that the English Word Upright, fometimes, and in its most original Meaning, fignifies right up, or in an erect Pofture, therefore it does not properly fignify any moral Character, when applied to moral Agents: And indeed lefs unreasonably; for it is known, that in the Hebrew Language, in a peculiar Manner, most Words used to fignify moral and fpiritual Things, are taken from Things external and natural. The Word Jafbar is ufed, as applied to moral Agents, or to the Words and Actions of fuch, (if I have not mif-reckoned *) about an hundred and ten-Times in Scripture; and about an hundred of them, without all Difpute, to fignify Virtue, or moral Rectitude, (though Dr. T. is pleafed to fay, the Word does not generally fignify a moral Character) and for the most Part it fignifies true Virtue, or Virtue in fuch a Senfe, as diftinguishes it from all falfe Appearances of Virtue, or what is only Virtue in fome Refpects, but not truly fo in the Sight of God. It is ufed at least eighty Times in this Senfe: And scarce Word can be found in the Hebrew Language any more fignificant of this. It is thus used constantly in Solomon's Writings, (where it is often found) when used to expreís a Character or Property of moral Agents. And it is beyond all Controverfy, that he uses it in this Place, in the viith of Ecclef.

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Making Ufe of Buxtorf's Concordance, which, according to the Author's profeffed Defign, directs to all the Places where the Word is used.

to fignify a moral Rectitude, or Character of real Virtue and Integrity. For the wife Man, in this Context, is fpeaking of Men with respect to their moral Character, inquiring into the Corruption and Depravity of Mankind (as is confeffed p. 184.) and he here declares, he had not found more than one among a Thoufand of the right Stamp, truly and thoroughly virtuous and upright: Which appeared a strange Thing! But in this Text he clears God, and lays the Blame on Man: Man was not made thus at firft. He was made of the right Stamp, altogether good in his Kind, (as all other Things were) truly and thoroughly virtuous, as he ought to be; but they have fought out many Inventions. Which laft Expreffion fignifies Things finful, or morally evil; as is confeffed, p. 185. And this Expreffion, ufed to fignify thofe moral Evils he found in Man, which he fets in Oppofition to the Uprightnefs Man was made in, fhews, that by Uprightnefs he means the moft true and fincere Goodnefs. The Word rendered Inventions, most naturally and aptly fignifies the fubtile Devices, and crooked deceitful Ways of Hypocrites, wherein they are of a Character contrary to Men of Simplicity and godly Sincerity; who, though wife in that which is good, are fimple concerning evil. Thus the fame wife Man, in Prov. xii. 2. fets a truly good Man in Oppofition to a Man of wicked Devices, whom God will condemn. Solomon had Occafion to obferve many who put on an artful Difguife and fair Shew of Goodness; but on fearching thoroughly, he found very few truly upright. As he fays, Prov. xx. 6. Moft Men will proclaim every one his own Goodnefs: But a faithful Man who can find? So that it is exceeding plain, that by Uprightnefs, in this Place

. II

Place in Ecclefiaftes, Solomon means true moral Goodness.

What our Author urges concerning many Inventions being spoken of, whereas Adam's eating the forbidden Fruit was but one Invention, is of as little Weight as the reft of what he fays on this Text. For the many Lufts and Corruptions of Mankind, appearing in innumerable Ways of finning, are all the Confequence of that Sin. The great Corruption Men are fallen into by the original Apoftacy, appears in the Multitude of wicked Ways they are inclined to. fore these are properly mentioned as the Fruits and Evidences of the Greatnefs of that Apoftacy and Corruption.

And there

SECT. II.

Concerning the Kind of Death, threatened to our firft Parents, if they should eat of the forbidden Fruit.

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R.. T. in his Obfervations on the three first Chapters of Genefis, fays, p. 7. "The "Threatening to Man in Cafe of Tranfgreffion was, that he fhould furely die.-Death is the

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lofing of Life. Death is oppofed to Life, and "must be understood according to the Nature of "that Life, to which it is oppofed. Now the "Death here threatened can, with any Certainty, "be opposed only to the Life God gave Adam, "when he created him, ver. 7. Any Thing "besides this must be pure Conjecture, without "folid Foundation."

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To this I would fay; It is true, Death is oppofed to Life, and must be understood according to the Nature of that Life, to which it is opposed: But does it therefore follow, that Nothing can be meant by it but the Lofs of Life? Mifery is oppofed to Happiness, and Sorrow is in Scripture often oppofed to Joy: But can we conclude from thence, that Nothing is meant in Scripture by Sorrow, but the Lofs of Joy? Or that there is no more in Mifery, than the Lofs or Absence of Happinefs? And if it be fo, that the Death threatened to Adam can, with Certainty, be oppofed only to the Life given to Adam, when God created him; I think, a State of perfect, perpetual, and hopeless Mifery is properly oppofed to that State Adam was in, when God created him. For I fuppofe it will not be denied, that the Life Adam had, was truly a happy Life; happy in perfect Innocency, in the Favour of his Maker, furrounded with the happy Fruits and Teftimonies of his Love And I think it has been proved, that he also was happy in a State of perfect Righteoufnefs. And Nothing is more manifeft, than that it is agreeable to a very common Acceptation of the Word, Life, in Scripture, that it be understood as fignifying a State of excellent and happy Existence. Now that which is most opposite to that Life and State Adam was created in, is a State of total confirmed Wickednefs, and perfect hopeless Misery, under the divine Displeasure and Curfe; not excluding temporal Death, or the Deftruction of the Body, as an Introduction to it.

And befides, that which is much more evident, than any Thing Dr. T. fays on this Head, is this, viz. That the Death, which was to come on Adam, as the Punishment of his Difobedience, was opposed

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to that Life, which he would have had as the Reward of his Obedience in Cafe he had not finned. Obedience and Difobedience are Contraries: And the Threatenings and Promifes, that are Sanctions of a Law, are fet in direct Opposition: And the promifed Rewards and threatened Punishments, are what are most properly taken as each others Op÷ pofites. But none, will deny, that the Life which would have been Adam's Reward, if he had perfifted in Obedience, was eternal Life. And therefore we argue juftly, that the Death which stands oppofed to that Life, (Dr. T. himself being Judge, p. 120. S.) is manifeftly eternal Death, a Death widely different from the Death we now die.-to ufe his own Words. If Adam, for his perfevering Obedience, was to have had everlasting Life and Happiness, in perfect Holiness, Union with his Maker, and Enjoyment of his Favour, and this was the Life which was to be confirmed by the Tree of Life; then doubtlefs the Death threatened in Cafe of Disobedience, which stands in direct Oppofition to this, was a being given over to everlasting Wickedness and Mifery, in Separation from God, and in enduring his Wrath.

And it may with the greatest Reafon be fupposed, that when God first made Mankind, and made known to them the Methods of his moral Government towards them, in the Revelation he made of Himself to the natural Head of the whole Species; and let him know, that Obedience to Him was expected as his Duty; and enforced this Duty with the Sanction of a threatened Punishment, called by the Name of Death; I fay, we may with the greatest Reafon fuppofe in fuch a Cafe, that by Death was meant that fame Death which God efteemed to be the moft proper Pu

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