36o Chap. 28. An Expofition qv the Book of J o n. Vere Z8, And untomanbefail. Some read, But, unto man befail. Jr is an indefinite fpeecb, and is therefore in this place (beingis a neceffarymatter) right- ly undertlood, univerfally : unto man, that is, unto all men, and fo it (lands in oppofirion to a threefold refiriaion. Fir(l, not to the firflman only, as Come expound, reflrain- ing the words ro the perfonof Adam, who was firfl created ; as ifthis were the firtl leffon that ever God taught man in the perfon of the firti man Adam ( that word which was the proper name of thefirfl man, is become appellativeto hispoflerity)'Iíodoubt- lefs a truth that God laid unto darn, as foon as created, if not exprefaly yet equivalently, Thefear ofthe Lard, that is wildem; And'tis as true, that the Devil by his Agent theSerpent prea- ched other dï=ó the toAdam, he taught Adam to get wifdom by callingoff the rear ofthe Lord ; or Allred him that he fhould bewife, it he would not fear to tranfgrefsthe commandement of the Lord. Tb eLordbath fail indeed, thou muff not eat ofthis tres of the knowledge ofgood and evil, andbe bathlcared' thee with a threatning, that an the lay that thou eateft thereof thou (hait dye the death ; butfaith Satan, eat,and thou (halt be at god, knowing goodand evil. Yet I conceive this interpretation too narrow for the texr,if taken precifely or exclufively ; this leffon;That the fear of God is wifdom , is extendible to all mankind , and there- fore ; Secondly, Thefe words, To man, are oppofedan to this or chat particular man,of Adams poflerity ; God didnot fay this im- toone,or two, or to a third or a fourth, as if it were a do6lrine for force men, buthe Paid it to man, to men univerfally , Thefear of god, th s ùwifelon. Thirdly, He laid ituntoman, that is,not to this or that fort of roen, but tomen of all forts. He bath not laid this to the rich, or to the poor alone ; not to the great, or to the final! alone ; be hash not Paid this ro Mailers alone, or fervants alone ; hebath not Paid this to parents alone, or to children alone ; but he bath fail it to man,even to all the Ions of a/Idam, of what fort or condition,of what quality or degree foever.Sornrimes this pbrafe, Thechildrenor fans of Adam, is put by way of diffc,ence or fpeci- airy for menof low degree,or for inferiors (Pfad, 49, 2.) Give ear
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=