and, as Parent, Prince and Prieft, pursue and teach the Knowledge of fuch Things or Actions, as they thought fit to be known; and that their Pofterity would be as ready to enquire, as they could be to inform them of what they had feen or heard, and what had been tranfacted there, what Condition they were in, what Obligations they were under, what they were to know, and what they were to do, and fo downward, and fome of them would purfue and practife, fome neglect, fome make good Üfes of their Knowledge, and fome bad ones. After this traditional Knowledge was partly corrupted, and partly loft, it pleafed God to explain fome of the most important of them, and give fome Hints of fome of the reft. In those Points where the Defcription is fhort, we must do as we do in taking Altitudes or Distances of Objects, where their and our Stations are fixed, try to get fuch Parts of the Triangles, as with things at Hand, and proved, will prove the reft. Befides what is deducible from the Juftness and Goodnefs of God, the Care he would have of the first of the Species, and his Affistance, as far as it was confiftent with their Freedom; we ought to confider what fort of Evidence ought to be allowed to explain them, which I think may be, 1. The Meaning Meaning of the Words in those Descrip tions. 2. The Practice or Ufage of the Servants of God recorded in Scripture. 3. The Reprefentatives God has fince made, and explained, or ordered Man to make under those Words or Names, recorded as aforefaid. 4. The Explanations God made in the renewing or repeating, what in Subftance was contained in any of those short Speeches or Hints. 5. The Ufage, though partly, Abuse of things, under fuch Words or Names by Apoftates, alfo recorded in the Bible. 6. That from the Writings of the Chaldee Jews, when the Words they now tranflate falfely, are fet right, such as Angels for Aleim, &c. 7. The Practife of the Heathens in thofe things, with their Abuses, as recorded in their Writings, Emblems, Infcriptions, &c. We know by two fhort Hints, and the Explanations of them in the later Scriptures, that there were two Covenants, which were made before Man, or a first and fecond Part of one Covenant; the fecond Part conditional or provifional, if the first should be broken; and that they were published in Eden, and the feveral Inftitutions were appointed, 1 Cor. ii. 7. But we speak the Wisdom of God in a Mystery, even the bidden Wisdom, which God ordained before the World World unto our Glory. 2 Tim. i. 9. Who bath faved us and called us with an boly calling, not according to our Works, but according to his own Purpofe and Grace, which was given us in Chrift Jefus before the World began. Titus i. 2. In Hope of eternal Life, which God that cannot lie, promifed before the World began, 1 Pet. i. 20. Who verily was fore-ordained before the Foundation of the World, but was manifeft in thefe laft Times for you. But we know not, that there were any after; what we have further upon that Head, were only Renewals, upon fixing the Line of Chrift's Parentage, or, &c. and the written Law was but regulating Man's Part of that Covenant with fome Additions, which Corruption. then had made neceffary; if nothing but the two firft Hints were mentioned, it would follow from the Juftice and Goodnefs of God, that before he made or publifhed a Covenant, made by the Aleim, or before the firft Man could enter into that Covenant, to perform Conditions on his fide, that he should have fufficient Time allowed, and fufficient Means and Opportunity, to acquire a fufficient Degree of Knowledge of God, of his Wisdom, Power, &c. and, as we fuppofe, the chief Part of Man's Information before Writing was in Eden. Eden If any one pretends, that Men before Writing were ignorant of God, let him read or learn to read, and understand the Speeches of Men, who were not infpired, in the original Book of Job, and I dare fay, it will cure him. And as it will appear, that the Subject and Manner of his Tryal was about the Power of God, and the Power of the Heavens; it follows from the fame Reasons, that Man fhould have the fame Means, and acquire the fame Degree of Knowledge of the Nature of thofe Powers, which were to fupply them, and a competent Idea of every thing, for which any Word in that Covenant was fubftituted; elfe, if they had been ignorant of the Manner of the acting of the Heavens, and had only been fenfible of the Benefits they received from their Powers and Actions, the Crime of fuppofing fome extraordinary Power in them at firft, and of worshipping them after, had been lefs. As I have faid in the Introduction to the fecond Part of M. P. p. 13. by Degrees they will fhew us, that there had been Revelation of the Motions and Powers in this Syftem, from the Beginning or before Mofes, without Writing. If any one doubts that, let him now, when thofe Points are made intelligible, confider the vaft Degree of Know ledge ledge of thefe Powers, which thofe Perfons in the Book of Job fhew, and he will be forced to own that fuch Degree of Knowledge of them came by Revelation, and could not come otherwise. As God taught Man to write, we will fuppofe that he alfo taught Man to speak. Any Sound or Sounds pronounced by the Motion of the Breath from the Lungs, and formed by any Pofition, or varied by various Pofitions of the Parts of the Mouth, might at first hearing be agreeable or difagreeable to the Ear, but could never raise any Idea of a particular Thing, Action, or &c. till after the Thing or Action was perceived, and the Word was pronounced, and it was refolved or agreed that that Sound fhould be conftituted to ferve as a Signal or Reprefentative by help of the Memory, to recal the Idea of the Thing, Action, or &c. to one's felf, or others who had perceived the Thing or Action, and had agreed to use that Signal, fo to form Sounds for the Ideas of Things or Actions which came under his Senfes. After Adam had perceived, or understood Things and Actions about him, and had raised a few common Ideas of them, 'twas in his own Power to join those Ideas, to divide them into Parts, to extend or con tract |