T p 0 II 0 A 0 r ·1 A A K E Y, TO OPEN SCRIPTURE MET A PH 0 R s, I N F 0 U R B 0 0 K S. TO WHICH ARE PREFIXED ARGUMENTS TO PROVE THE DIVINE AUTHORITY 0 F THE HOLY S C R I P T U R E S. CONTAININC, B 0 0 K J. Philologia Sacra; or, the Tropes and Figures, in Scripture, reduced under their proper Heads, with a brief Explication of each. B 0 0 K IT. The moll: fignificant Tropes and Metaphors, refpefting God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; as al(o the facred Word of God opened and im. proved by \Vay of Parallel, with their Difparity; from which ftriking Inferences are deduced. B 0 0 K llf. A pra8ica1 Improvement of the moft frequent TOGETHER Metaphors, Allegories, and Similies, of the Old and New Tefiament. B 0 0 K IV. Containing fuch Metaphors in the Holy Scriptures as relate to the Graces of the Holy Spirit, the blefiCd Ordinances of the Gofpel, the Holy Angels of God, the Souls and Spirits of Men, the Church of God, Men in general, good Men, wicked Men, the true Minifters of the Gofpcl, falfe Teachers, falfe Churches, Sin, the Devil, i:he Means of Grace, Providence, AffiiClions, the World, the Life of Man, and the Four Iaft Things. \V IT H T Y P E S 0 F THE 0 L D T E S T A M E N T, By the Rev. Mr. B EN JAM IN K E A CH. The Whole carefully revifed; the Marginal Quotations inferted in their proper Places; and Obfolete Words exchanged. I have ufid Similitudts. 1 n 1J.1i1 pm Propofui Similitudines. HosF.A xii. 10. If I ha"V~ tolt(ycu tarthly 'Things, and)"t btlit'l.ltd not; l.•ow Jbally e bNitvt, if I tellyou of btavtn/y 'I'hings? JoHN jjj, I z, E1 T~ £myu~ £11TO~ Uf-111, xa:1 a r.I)!U£1£, ?TCdC:, HoG~ H7rW :J(-ti~ Tt:t E1l"Ot1pt:t~l.x, 7nfHitT£T£ ; Si ltrrtna dixi <Vobis, f.5 non rrtditis; quomodo, ji dixtro vobis ur:ltjlia, crtdttis? Exijlimo cr,·opos Oratorios multo /ublimiorts, 1ficaciort/qut ill Sn{ra ltEiiont htvtniri, quam in fri(tOI"TftiJ Grterorum E3 Lati11orum Mommuntis, pojftqut oratoriam phrafiJJ fieri ta ltlliont multo lot'uplrtionm. Budreus ex Citat. Cl. Rivet. Stt1rch tbt Scripruru, for in tbemyt thitzkyt ha<ue tltrnal Life, mzd they nrt thry which ttJlif.J' of me. JOHN V. 39· ' L 0 N D 0 N: Printed by J. W. P A S H A M, BLAcK- F R 1 A R s: for WILL!AM OTRIDGE, N° 134, and JAMES MATHEWS, N° 18, in the S1 RAND MD CC LX X 1 X.
R E C 0 M M E N D A T I 0 N S. To the Editor of Mr. KEACH's Metaphors. SIR, HISTORIANS tell us_, that the lirfl: Libraries were m Egypt; and the Titles they bore, infpired the Reader with an eaaer Defire to t:nter them, and to d.tve into ~he Secrets they contained. They were called, 'fvx,n,-. ;%Te£1a", " The Office " for the Dilcales of the Soul." This Title, every Body mufl: allow, may with much greater Propriety .be gn•<"n to the SACRED ScRIPTURES; wh1ch alone are able to make us wife unto Salvation through Faith that is in Chrifl: Jefus. Whatever Helps therefore, the Wit and Ingenuity of )\'lan can invent, to explam and effectuate the Prefcriptions and Remed1es of that fpt– ritual Difpmfary, ought to meet W1th Ap– probation and .l:'raife. Upon this Account I am happy to hear you intend favonng the Public ':'lth a new Edition of that mof\ valuable 1 rtafure of human Compofition called Kwch's KeY_ to open Scripture i\1etaphors. A Book, wtth– om which no Clmfl:ian Minifl:er's Library can be compleat, and which may be very ufeful to every attentive Reader, and Lover of the WoRD OF GoD. I hope this, and every other Attempt for the befl: Good of Mankind, will he encou– raged , as it deferves, and am, ?ir, Your refpectful humble Servant, C. DE CoETLOGON. LDwtr Grojvutor Plare. To the EditorofMr.Keach's facred Philology. SIR, THE Key to open Scripture Metaphors, and the 'J'reatife upon the 'I' ropes and Figures of the OLD and NEw TESTAME,T, have btcn for fome Years, in my Study; and often confultt-d by me with great Pltafure. The leorned Author tells us it was the Fruit of near twenty Years L abor,-that he had both the Alliltance and Approbation ' of the befr and mofl: learned Divin~s, and, that notwithfl:anding it was thought calculated for great public Utility; yet, tt was fent into the World witb a particular Defign of a./Jifling Students in Jacred Learn– ing; and efpecially of acco:mmodatingfu.ch, whofe Chrif\1an Mmds mchne them 10 inlhuct ochas. Mr. Keach has made a very. proper Dillinction between allegorical Expcjitians of Scriptures; and the Expou11ding_ of alle– gorical Scriptures. He hoped tt mtght be of Ufe to young Preachers, and teach them to draw plaiit Doflrines out of Meta– phors, Allegories, &c. and not to draw /lllegories OUt of plain Hijlories. An evil, which too many, with more Pleafantry than good Senfe, are, at prefent, running into. Upon the Whole, it appears to me, that the Re-publication of this Book may be al– tended with jingrtlar Ufefulnefs: Efpecially, 1f it be done (as all Publications of this Kind, oucrht to be) on moderate low Terms ; fuch, I ,;ean, as may permit thePoor, who are of– ten rich in Faith to purchafe it. The Publifhing it at this Time will, alfo, I am in hopes, have its Advantage. As all the great and leading Truths of the Gofpel are explained in fo f\riking a Man– ner. The Chrijlian Reader will fee the Doctrine of the TRINITY ; the Di-oinity of the SoN ofGoo; tbe Perfonality of the lloLy SPIRIT; and the Excellency and ./lutheaticity of divineTruth, placed in aconvincing Point of view; without the labourecl Nonlenfe of the Schoolmen, or the refined Entanglements ofjj:Jiematic Divinity. May the Goo of all 'fntlh, who has been pleafed to ule Similitudes by the M t– niilry of the Prophets; and even by Ius owll Son to fpeak unto us in Parables, gra– ciouily (mile upon your Endeavours; and condefccnd to accept my Prayers in behalf of this Undertaking, tha< it may be effentially ufeful to Mw, and, evenwally, bnng Glory to GoD through JEsus CHRIST our LoRD. I am,- Sir, Your willing Servant for his Sake, H. PECKWELL.
R E C 0 M M E N D A T I 0 N S. To the E o 1 T o a. SIR, MR. BENJAMII< KEACH's Volumes upon the Metaphors, &c. in the holy Scrip– tures, is a Work of fo long ftanding and fo generally known and approved in the Church of God, that it needs no formal Recommendation to the Public. It is a Performance, which is greatly adapted to yield no fmall Affiftance and Delight to both Minifters and private Chriftians, who are defirous of peruring the holy Oracles with fpecial enlarged Views of the Riches and Fulnefs of Divine Wifdom and Grace that they contain. And as I fincerely wi!h, fo I make no doubt that a new Edition of fo ufeful a Work (carefully and duly executed) will be a Means of its yet greater and more ex– tenfive Service in rhe religious World, and will meet with Favor and Encouragemem from the Friends of real and vital Religion and Godlinefs of all Denominations. Hackney, Du. 15, 1777· S I R, JOHN CONDER. JT gives me a fenfible Pleafure that y~u dericrn a Republication of Mr. Benja– tnin Ke~ch's large Trearife on Scripture Me– taphors, as the former Edition is become fo exceedingly fcarce. I know not of any Work in the Englifh Language, and I have made Rhetoric, my particular Study, that has treated the Subject in fuch an ample Ex– tent. Mr. Keach's Examination of the me– taphorical Charatters afcribed to the Father, our Lord Jefus Chrift, and the Holy Spirit, in the facred Writings, and his Eduction of the blelfed Truths, 1might fay Promifes contained in them, may be:: compared w the ripe Clufters of the Vine pregnant with the richeft and moft reviving Cordials, or the Honey diftilling from the Comb in its moft pleafant and falutary Juices. The Book I am perfuaded may be very infl:ruc– tive and ufeful to Chriftians in general, and more efpecially to Miniilers and Candidates for that facred Office; and may they con– fult it with the divineft Benefit and Deligbt. If my Opinion concerning Mr. Keach's valuable Performance !hould be thought of any Service in promoting the Di.ffu(ion of the Work, you are at Liberty to commu– nicate it to the Public. I am, Your fincere Friend, HoxU·n·Square. Du. 12, 1777· THO. GIBBONS. To the Editor of Mr. KEACH's Metaphors: SI R, AFTER an Acquaintance with this excellent Work for more than thirty Years; I will take the Freedom to recommend it to ferious young Chriftians, to Mafters of Families, to Students of Divinity and younger Minifters of the Gofpel._c_As Mr. Keach (in Conjunction with his learned Friend, the famous Thomas De Laune) has given us a Syftem of Scriptural RhetOric, or a Scheme of ,all the Tropes and Figures ufed in the Bi ble; on hearing that a new Edi– tion of this Work was going to be publi!h. ed, it naturally led my Thoughts to confi– der a little the true Nature of divine Elo– quence: And as I prefume not to addrefs myfelf tO fenior Divines, or Profelfors of Oratory, but to my Chriftian Friends men– tioned above, I will, in order tO make this Book more rdi!hed and better underftood, endeavnur to give them my Idea of true Eloquence. ELOQ.YENCE confifts in goodSenfe found– ed on Truth and Reafon, delivered in fuch a Style or Manner of expreffing the Con– ceptions and Paffions of the Heart; as !hall inlhuEt: the Undcrftanding, determine the Wlll, and raife the A!TeClions to fly from Evil and purfue Good. The amiable F£NELON, in his excellent Dialogues on Eloquence, obferves, that an ORATOR has three Things to perform: To painr, prove, and move: to paint Truth in the moft lovely Colours to the Imagination; -To prove the Truth to our Reafon and Judgment by the moft clear and convincing Arguments, and w move the Patiions in the moft vivid and forcible Manner by the Speaker's expreffing the Affeftions of his own Heart: and thus bringing the Hearers to think as he thinks; to feel what he feels, and purfue Happinefs with the fame Ardor and avoid Mifery with the fame Dread, as the Speaker himfelf. If we apply the above Remarks to the facred Writers of the Old and New Tefta– menr. we' !hall find that no Speakers or vV6ters in the \:Vorld ever had fo great a Claim to fou nd Eloquence. The facred Scriptures are adorned with all the brightefl: lmagesof divine and invifibleObjeCl:s, drawn from every Part of the vifible World: and we dare ro affirm that there is not aflrikina Figure in Eloquence but may be found i~ its higheft PerfeClion in the holy Scriptures. Every Form and Manner of Speaking wh1ch contam a Beauty, or exprefs a Patiion or Movement of the Soul, may be ften in a rich Variety all through the Book of God. I ap-
R E C 0 M M E N D A T I 0 N S. I apprehend that the befl: Method of ar– ranging [he Figur~s in Rhetoric is to confi– <kr thofe jirft, which are ufed for INSTR uc– TION* and EXPLANATION ofaSubject; fuch a re the molt lively Defcriptions of the N a– ture of Things, Actions and CharaCters; .and this ou<>ht to be done with the .cleardt :Expreilions~ and the moll: vivid Reprefen– rations Qf FaCts difl:ant and pa~, or yet to .come; in fuch a Manner as if now feen, .and prefent to the Eye or the Mind . The fecond Clafs of Figures in Eloquence, are fuch as are ufed for DEMONSTRATION, EviDENCE and CoNVICTION. t And fuch abound in this wonderful Book of GOD. Here we fee the befl: Methods of Proof, and the keenefl: Manner of Refutation. Errors are detected,Delufions are unravelled, and Miftakes of the highefl: Moment are expof– <:d to everlalling Scorn and Abhorrence, with the urmott Force of Language. The third Clafs of the befl: Figures in E loquence, are fuch as ferve for AMPLI– .FICATION, or Enlargen~ent on a~y dJvi~c Subject ; and thefe are to be feen 1n the ta– cred Scriptures, in their utmoll: Perfection. The Climax is a noble Figure for Amph– fication. And in this holy Book are the finefl: Gradations afcending from the leafl: Atom to the vafl: Univerfe; and from the lowcft Reptile to an Angel, and to the great GOD himfelf: ordefcendingfrom the high and lofty ONE who inhabiteth Eternity, down to Man that is a Worm, rea even to the Drop of a Bucket and the fmall Dufl: of the Ballance. The Simile is anotherFigurefor Enlarge– ment; and we have here the mofl: happy Similes or Comparifons to ftrike the M ind and illuftrate the Matter in hand. The HOI.Y SPIRIT knew that this was a malt charming Figure for Amplification ; and therefore he has given us a rich Variety in every Part of the holy Scriptures. The fourth Clafs of the noblefl: Figures in Eloquence, are fuch as are ufed for t'ER– SilASION,and exprefs the mofl: violent Emo– tions of the Soul, attended with Pleafure or Pain. Thefe are to be found in great Variety ·and Beauty in this facred Book. Every Mode of addreiling the Pailions in the mofl: pungent Manner, with a View 'to fl:rike the tenderefl: Feelings of the Mind, andmove the BowELS of an AuDIENCE, are here to be feen and felt in their highett Per– fection and Glory.-We have moving Exclamations; the mofl: pointed Interrogati~ on'; patheric Expofl:ulations; and the mo!t fublime and daring Apollrophes, or turn– ing off to addrefs Heaven, Earth and Hell, the Dead and the Living; Objectsvifible and invifible; good and bad Men ; the Damned or the Saved; Devils and Angels; or the great God himfelf; are here to be feen in their urm.,fl: Pathos and Glory. Thegrandefl:Fi– gu re of all for addreiling the Paflions is the Profopopoeia; and you have in thei:1credBible the boldeft Perfonifications in the World. Here you fee Death as a Perfon and a King of Terrors having a firft. born Son, which is the Plague or Pefl:ilence; this likewife is reprefeored as walking in Teiror bdOre GOD, Job xxviii. 2<.-Here you fee de– parted Spirits in the invifible World [peak– ing to each other; A bra ham a happy Soul in Glory, converfing with a damned Sinner in Hell.-You fee inanimate Beings affum– ing the Powers and exprtfTing the Paffions ot living and reafonable Creatures ;-And in that grand Prophecy of the Ruin o·f the King of Babylon, you fee fuch a Variety of Perfonifications as are liot to be equalled in any piece of fine Wriring and Eloquence: You fee the Fir Trees and Cedars endued withLife andSpee.:h ;-Hell, all in Motion -the Souls of the· damned Monarchs– theGhofl: of 1he King ofBaby lon-the Sol– diers who h"'C found out his dead·Bo– dy-the cmting Jeers of th<>fe Sold iers," Is " this theMan that made the Earth to trem– " ble ?"-the triumphant People of GOD rejoicing over the dead Tyrant-the dread– ful Doom of his Name and Familv-and the Cl<J!e of the whole Scene by the.folemn Oath of God himfdf.-Thefe are fuch Strokes of divine and daring Eloquence as would pleale every Man ofreal Ta!le were he to review them itil thoufand Times. i\ FIGURE is a Mode offpeaking different from, and more beautiful and PA~S!ONATI, than the ufual Vvay of expreffing the fame Scnfe.:t:-A Figure mufl: always contain fame Beauty; or exprefs fume PajJio11. The Pailions of the Heart when roofed to a Flame, or raifed into an high T one, "ill ex– prefs themfelves in a vafl: Variety of Figures ; - therefore Figures are ju!lly lliled the Lan– guage of the Paflions : and there is no Book in the World in which all the Pailions are fo lhongly expreffed, and fo frequently ad– dreffed as in the infpired Writings of GOD. I verily • Hypotypofis, or lively Defcription ·; Parabole, or Compnrifon i Pa.radiaflole, or DiftinClion; Anti. .t;hefis, or Oppofition. . t .tEtiologia, Or gixing a Reafon; Prolepfis, anticipating an Obj~aion; Epitropc, Conceflion. t Dr. Ward's LeCtures on Oratory. a
R E C 0 M M E N D A T I 0 N S. I verily belie<'e there is not a Trope, or a Figure eidter in ~~ords or Sentences that is worth a Moment's Notice, but may be found ip its height of Beauty in the holy Scriptures. In this Book of Mr. Benjamin Keach, ~ou have a large Syl\em of divine Rhetoric; and the fenfible Reaqer will not el\eem it the lefs, but the more, when I inform him that the Subllance of it was drawn from the largefr Syf\em qffacred Oratory in theWorld, jn one Volun1e Qt!arto, compofed by the learned and famou,s SoLOMON GLASS! US. * The principal Trope that is uted all over the Scriptures, ~nd applied to all Objects in Heaven, in Hell, and the Church of Chrift, is the Metaphor; and here it is, that Mr. Keach's Book fhines in a very remark– able Manner. There is fcarcely a Metaphor refpecting GOD the Fa.ther, Son, and Holy Spirit; or concerning good Men, or bad Men, the Church or the World ; but you will find it opened in a beamiful and evange– lical Manner, in this qcellentWork, which has frood theTefr of near one hundred Years amongft the Minifters and Churches; and is pow reprinted oq the Account of the Scarcity of the Copies and the great Demand for it by GofpelMinifrers and ferious Chrifrians. This is an excellent Book for Matlers of Fa~ilies to read before Family Prayer, and cfpecially on Lord's-day Evenings: The clear, eafy and fenfible Manner in which Mr.Keach has expre!fed himfelf, will make . it a mol\ in(huCl:ive anq edifying Exercife. This Book I would recommend to feri– ous and inquintive young Chritlians.-No– Jhing can be imegined more adapted to in– form the Undedianding, in pomt of Know– ledge, and at the fame Ti~1e, to pleafe the Imagination, enrich the 1.\:lemory, and raife the AffeCtions to Cl'\rifr. · To Students of Divinity and young Mi– nitlers of the Gofpel, this Work will be fingularly profitable, and a ddightful Help to their weekly Preparations for public· Work. The late H.ev. Mr. hmes Hervey, a few Years before ·his Death purchafed this Work, and intended if GOD had fpared his Life, to have made this one of the Books at his right Hand, to refrefh his Me– mory with the great Truths of the Gofpel. After long Confideration on the Methods of addreffing an Audience, he judged Mr. Keach's Manner of opening Scripture Meta– phors te be the befl, and he determined to ufe it ro the utmofr of his Power. Let no Man mifl:ake me, and imagine I mean ro infinu4te, that Mr. Hervey defigned to tleal his Sermons out of Mr. Keach's P.arallds on the Metaphors. No, the rich Powers 9f his Mind, and his vafr Stock of felect and divine Knowledge, railed him above all Temptations ofthar Kind: but, as he him– felf a!fured me (for I had all the above In– farmation from his own Mouth) he defion– ed to refrdh his Memory by reading ~he Explanation of a Metaphor; rhen minglino– his own fublime and judicious Though[~ with the Subject he had read, to deliver the Subfrance in the mofr frriking and. po– pular Manner to his Audito_ry. J wifh every lenfiblo and pious young Preacher may take; the Hi~t and purfue the fame Practice. t If any of my worthy FFiends fh all be in- ' duced tO read and recommend this Work, it will give great Pleafure to 1heir aff~Elionate Brother and Servant, Northampton, Marcb 16, 1778. JOHN RYLAND. MR. KEACH's Metaphors is a ·work of great Labor and Learning; abounds with the mol\ interetling Truths and favory lntlructions; and is peculiarly calculated to convey extcnflve Knowkdge of the holy Scripture to Chriflian-Readers in rre– nerol, and Gofpel-Mini!lers in particula~. Hooj/Q·, Du.4, ' 777· BEN. FRANCIS. • Solomon Glafi\~s. D. D. a moft lc<\_rned and ox'iellent Di~ine; was Superintendent of the Protefiant Churches in Saxe: Goth.a, ,and P~ofeRO~ of DiviQity at 1ena, boru 1i93• and ~ied Ju~)! 17, 1656 ; the belt Edition of his P·hdplogra Sac~a, lnd~ci.rng a Defence of the ln~cgrity of the Hebrew ar-Q Greek. Tcx~s, a Sacred Grammar and .R:bewnc, c;onh!bng of 990 ~~rto Pages, was printed at Amllerc!am, 171 1. t Lf any roung l'er~ons wl;lo a,re lo\'ers of E.loqueucc, Jhou!d read this Recommendation, and at the fame T~me ~ith to i'e Jiretlcd a little i~1 the ~tudy ofthi~ m,o{l. charmiag: ~Jauch of Polite Learning..; it will be 110 VwlatiOn of the J;..aw~ of Decency tOr gr~e. them a tcw !i~nts of AQv1ce. l,n the firfl; Pl.acc !e~ w.e \tJtr~t you. ne~ocr for o:u! lV'.tumem to r~a.d the d.ry, firft, for"!~! Tratls on Rhew~ic, 5lu;r· h~'<c a Tcq,d~ncy t.o CQntr\}d yoHr M tods, <illd Jark~~ your v~.ws of lound manlr .J~!oqu~nce: 1 fJ?ea~ this frOtQ the bitter Expenence of thirty– five \'t:ars · And thercfort; l h~dy ~Qnfef~ t r,l~ip•(e and hate all formal, barbarous, barren Sc'hcmes, and·t wflh they wt:re banifhcd out of the World. Jn the iCcond Place, read with Greedincfs and Admiration, Cambray"s D ialogues on Eloquence, ~intilian's excellent lnJlicutions, and Roll in's Trcatifc on Eloquence, in his fecond Voltunc of i1is Mt:rhod of Study; and l:H'\ckwall'~ lntroduttion tq th,c ~4ili~s : To t.lwfe add DJ;. Ward's Lcc– tu!..:s OQ. ,Oiatory, .a Wo1:k that w.as th~, Refult ?f thirry-7ight Years patient Attention al)d_ Labor-...wit~ DJj, G1bbons s Rhetonc, whtch contalll~ a 1•und of nch Matcnals, and ~a~ ~ ~Qmp,ltred to a ~e~lthy jeweller's Shop, w~n:: you ice fp~rkling ~c~ns. in everr Del?artment· ;· or, ta a f~orill's. Ga~del.\ ~n M,:tr• June and July, w:<:.:r:: you fee Beds of beaud ui I ubps, Tutts ot lovely t>mks, and nch Carnattons m vaJt Abundance and Varie:y, to pka!'c ~i·; E.tc, to regale the Noftril, to charm the Imagination, and delight theHeart.
R E C 0 M M E N D A T I 0 N S. To rhe Editor of KEACH'.s Metapbors. I With this Key, the eternal fovereign dif– tinguifhing Love of God-the everlafting I T gives me Pleafure, Sir, to find you are Covenant of Grace, otherways called the about to favor the World with a new Covenant of Redemption *-the DoCtrine ;Edition of this valuable Work, which has of the Trinity-the proper Deity of the been for a !ono- Time fcarce, and feldom to Son of God-the eternal .0Jvmtry and dtf– be purchafed ~t any Rare. tinet Perfonaliry of dw Holy Spirit-the It is well known, that Metaphors fhoulcj Fall of all Mankmq 111 Ac;lam thw Repre· be treated wirh the utmoft Care and Delifentative-rhe Guilt of <!ll the EleCt l.aid on cacy, or while the Laws of rrue Rhetoric Chrill: their Reprefenrarive, fo that their are broken, our Subject will be enervated Si.ns are accounted his, and his Righteouf– inftead of being enlivened, ~nd in the Room l)efs theirs, both by lmplltation-rhe abfo. of Liaht, Heat, Demonftration, and foothlure Necdlity 9f the fpeci&l l nfiuences of ing, ;elri~g Perfualion ; the Wh?l~ will derhe Spirit, to reg~ner.He, comfort, uphold aenerate mro a fngtd, fpintlefs, JeJune Haand fancbfy the PNple of God-the Cer– :'angue. tainty of th~ Bdiever'• Perfever~~ce ip Grace And indeed, if th'en only a Metaphor be t\> Glory-rh~ Spirituality qf the Old Tef– juft and complete, when nothing more .can tamenr Difpenfation-rhe exceeding Spiri– be added, but what equally appertains to tuality and Glory of the New~the M;ateri. Jomethino- elfe, nor any Thing withdrawn, als of a true Church-the charaCteriftic but fome~hing peculiarly belonging to the Features of a falfe one, efpecia,lly pf the Subject will be wanting. It muft be ac- Roq1ifh C:hur1=h, Babylon the Gr~at, the knowledgod, that Milton, Addifon, Young, Marher of Harlots-the Blifs of He~venand other our moll: mafterly \Vriters, have the Sorrows <;>f !iel\-with this Key, thefe i n fame lnftances been deficient, in others ' and O\ller Treafqres of Knowledge, which redundant: Faults thefe, from which pa\Jr a Flood of Brilliancy fhro..,gh the fcarcely any Author has kept himfelf quite Scriptllr~s, hove b~en \lnlQckecl to many free, however eafily and eagerly he may already, and I truft that the Spirit of Gad have difcerned thGm in others. will make ir ufeful to Generations yet unShould any one charge our Author with born. the latter of them, which is perhaps the I therefore take the Liberty, heartily to lefs cenfurable of the two, let it be rememrecommend it to my ya\mg Brethren in tile oored, that a Vine which never runs into Miniftry; to my Fellow-Chriftians, who Luxuriance, difcovers a want of Sap, and is prefer Senfe to Sound, the Truth .as it is in not likely to bear Fruit, whereas, that whofe Jelus, to meer Declamations, particularly– Branches run over the Wall, after pruning, to the Members of the Church, which Pro– becomes laden with the richeft C?luf1ers. vidence hath put under my Care, remindShould this Apology be accepted for ing them, that they are a Branch of that thoft who were as ambitious to be rhetorical Church of which Mr. Keach was Pafl:or, with Propriety, as to be juft in Sentiment, Mr. Keach being fucceeded in his paf1oral it may well be admi:ted for him, whofe De- Charge, by Mr. Benjamin Stinton, and Mr. fign was not fo much to pleafe the curious Stinton being the Predeceffor of rheir late and critical, as to profit the many, by detruly reverend and worthy Paftor Dr. veloping in an arrlefs Manner, the figuraJohn Gill; and, were the Freedom par– tive and metaphorical Parts of the facred donable, 1would affeCtionately recommend Volume. it-to all who love our Lord Jefus CJ.ri!t in But Speculation alide-this Work, in Sincerity and Truth. And if my Name, in my Opinion, contains a Fund of ufeful ConneCtion with others, will be llleful to -evangelical Matter, in which the Author propagate a Book I efteem, yoll may, if -freers as clear of the horrid Scylla of Antiyou pleafe, Sir, add to the above, and to . nomian DoCtrines on the one Hand, as of the Cloud of venerable \.Yirneffes who are the gloomy Chary_bdis of Arminian Tenets to give their Teftimonials of it. ·on the other. It IS a Key of great Worth, which admits you into the Prefence Cham– ber of the King, opens an infinitely valuable Wardrobe, a Cabinet of precious Gratzgt-Road, Sout~rwarh, Jewels, yea, the Palace of Truth itfelf. Mar.h 18, 1 77 8. 3 JOHN RIPPON. • 'I' hat there are not two Covenants, but one only; feems to be well fupported in :motber Piece alfo of our Author's, " THF. GoLDEN MINE," which I the rather.Mcmtion, as fhould be .glad to fee it, and Ais "-YaluableFolio on tke PAKABLiS, foon reprinted.
R E C 0 M M E N D A T I 0 N S. Dear SIR, JT gave me fingular Pleafure when I was rnformcd of your Intention (if properly encouraged) of publilhing a new Edition of /(each's Ke)'to open Scriplt!re Metaphors. - /lnd I rejoice much in having an Oppor– ·tllnity of tdtifying my Efteem for that va– luable, though at prefenc, very fcarce Work. And to recommend it, as I molt heartily do, to the Acceptance and diligent Perufal, ?f.all thofe whole Hearts Defire, and Prayer 'lt IS, that, " '!'he Word of Chrijt may dwell " in them RICHLY IN ALL WISDOM." As aBook peculiarly and happily calcula1ed, under the Divine Bleffing, to enlighten the Mind, efrablilh the Judgment, and com– fort the Heart, in a fweet and growing Ac– quaintance wtth both the Beauty, and the Power, of Divine Wifdom, Truth and Ha– line[,: Particularly as contained in the figu– rative and metaphorical Parts of the facred Pages. And if my weak Judgment and worthlefs Name, may add any thing to the Succefs of its Publication, it will give me .the fu~ther Pleafure of having it in my Po'wer m thts manner to a!fure you that I am with great Efteun, l.i<t~trptJOI, Du. 1, 1777· Your's, for Chrift's Sake, . SAMUEL MEDLEY. Dear S I R, I Have read KEACH 011 the Metaphors, and reallv think no true Chriftian lhould be without it.-H ichlydoes he difplay the Glo~ ries of our adoroble Immanuel !-'-Here the Ditlrdfed may find Comfort-the Tgi10ranr may be infrruC\cd-the Beliver edified, and built up in his lllOft holy Faith !-1 hearrjly wilh it Succefs-The llleffings of the Al– mighty attend this precious Book. I remain, Sir, Your's in the belt Bonds, May Zl, 1777· W. HERVEY. Dear SIR, I Join with my Reverend Brethren abovememione.d, in .recommendingMr. Keacb's Book on Sacred Scripture Metaphors, to the careful Perufal of thofe Students in Divinity, or other enquiring Chriftians, who defire w underftand the Force and Sweetnefs offacred Scripture Figures. I am, Sir, Yours, &c. H. TRELAWNEY. PREFACE.
p R E F A c E. THE divine Wifdom treafured up in the Bible, although unadorned with the Paint of human Eloquence, gives us a rich Profufion of a grave, genuine, and majeftic Dignity of Elocution, fuitable to thofe facred Myfteries it unfolds. T:1e beft Evidence of which is, the Tafte and Experience of that Sweetnefs, which many have found in it. Augujline fays, That the Scriptures feemed rude, and unpolifhed to him, in comparifon of Cicero's adorned Style, bccaufe he did not then under– ftand its I11teriora, i. e. inward Beauty; but when his Mind was illumi– nated to underftand them, no Writing appeared fo Wife or even Eloquent. Gregory Nanzianzen, a Man of prodigious Wit and Learning, when he came to take to the Study of this facred Philofophy, vilifies all other Or– naments of Literature amongft the Greek Philofophers. And not only Nanzimzzm did fo, but the learned Paul al[o. By the very Precepts of Rhetoric, what may be one Man's Eloquence, may be another's Folly, becaufe the Style muft be fuited to the various Circum!l:ances of Perfons and Things. The Lawyer pleads eloquently, and !hives to move the Af– fections of others ; the Judge pronounces the Sentence gravely, and the King commands. But if the King perfuades, or the Judge contends, they throw off the Perfon of a King or Judge, ancl affume the Perfon of a Sub– ject and Pleader. What then is the Law of the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords? Do we think that 'Jehovab will ufe Inductions as Plato, Syllo– gifms as Ariflotle, Epiphonema's as Cicero, Subtilties as Smrca, or any ar– tificial Syntax? If a royal Edict was publifhed in School Syllogifrns, every wife Man would laugh at it. The more plain the Word and Law of the Almighty is, the more becoming the divine Author and Lawgiver, and profitable for Mankind, as more eafily undcrftood, and being like Bread accommodated to every Palate. Yet there is in God·s Word a peculiar Elegance, which even a Homer, or a Cicero's Language, when jull:ly com– pared, is but puerile. The very Exordium of the Book of Ijclias, is a full Demonftration of this, to el'ery candid Reader. Ancl it may be fafely afferted, that confidering the Method and Style, that was thought rnofl: convenient by the fovereign Dictator, that the Argument which it treats of, and the Manner of Expremon ufed, no other Writing can parallel it. That which is holy is alfo venerable, and fuch Things need no flourifhing Illu!l:rations, and becaufe the Multitude of Readers is prorni!cuous, it was needful that it fhould be underftoocl by all, becaufe every Man is b concerned
11 p R E F A c E. concerned to believe and obferve it. And hence the Scriptures were writ– ten in the common Language, viz. the Old Teframent in Hebrew, the Mother Tongue of the 'je1vs, and the New in Greek, which was the moft univerfal Language of that Time. Here we may note the Impiety of fuch as prohibit Tran!lations of it, or keep it from the common People, fo as they are not to read God's Word, but as the Priefrs pleafe. Ble!fed be God we have the Scriptures tran!lated in our Mother Tongue, and it is the Duty and Int-ercft of every Soul to converfe with the Word of God. Is Wifdom and Underfranding Man's moft invaluable Jewel? Where is be to find it? Let Wi!Ciom berfelf be the Guide-" Search the Scriptures, " &c. which, as the beloved Apoftle faith, are able to make us Wife unto " Salvation through Faith in Jefus Chrifr," John v. 39· How to obtain it we are elfewhere told, " We mull: a!k it of God, who giveth liberally, " and upbraideth uot, and it fhall be given to us," James i. 5· " It is to " be fought for as Silver, and fearched for as hid Treafure," Prov. ii. 3· He who fincerely gives himfelf to Prayer and JV(ecli,tation, a~Jcl refolves to be in the Purfuit of this chief of Bleffings, may allure him[elf of Suc– cefs, having the Promife of a faithful God who ca,mot lie. The Means are great, and the Encourage1~1ent great l,Jeyoncl Compa– rifon, if is therefore the lntereft of every one to converfe with the W.ord, of God, to. obtain a Purchafe fo eminently dignified witl1 the Title o€ Principal 'lht11g. The.Scrip.ture is a large Field for fpiritua,l Employment, and it is obvious to every one's Obfervation, that it abounds with Meta– phor~, Allegories, and other Tropes and Figures of Speech. And having a particular Inclination to fiudy the Nature of Metaphors, Tropes, and Figures, principally for the Edification of my Hearers, 1 betook myfelf to preadi upon fame Metaphors, which, by the Aid of divine Goodnefs, wanted n~ither Succefs, nor the general Satisfaction of my Auditory. And having many b;ief Heads of my Notes by me, it was judged worthy my Time and Pains to compile the Work before thee ; and to render the Utility of the Work as valuable as I could, 1 applied for the Ailifrance of Men malt eminent in Piety and Literature, and was fo hi!ppy as to fuc– ceed in the Application. I mull: confefs my own inability for the Under– taking, but the Chriftian, and candid Reader, will call: a Veil over l).umaJ;l Frailties, and accept the \Vill for the Deed. As for Carpcrs and cen:.. furing Critics, that are pleafed with nothing but their own Performances, fuch Gentlemen are beneath Regard. I have met v.rith an Objecti0n againft my Method, viz. that llO Parallels are to be drawn beyond the Scope of the Text-To which I anfwer, that I have endeavorcd with all Diligence, to conform all my Parallels to plain Scripture, and the Analogy o( the or– thodox Faith. Jf I go beyond what the Scope of a particular Text is, yet I agree with the general Tenor of God's Word. And as Metaphors are Terms borrowed from Things that have divers Properties, as far as they yield P<J..rities, or Difparities, with_the Object reprefented, they may be fafely ufec\. As for Exa,mple, God; (in a ~etaphorical Notion) is called a Father; how can a Parallel be liq1itted, ti~l you apply all the beneficial Propenies of a natural Father f I~ is. therefore demon!hable to every one, that the Volume of God's Word abounds with' Metaphors, Allegories, and other Tropes and Figures of Speech. Similitude~
p R E F A c E. 111 tudes or Metaphors are borrowed from vifible Things, to difplay and illuf– trate the excellent Nature of invifible Things. Yea, heavenly Things are often called by the very Names, that material or earthly Things are; which is not to obfcure, or hide the meaning of them from us, but to ac– commoC\ate them to our Underll:anding. God by a gracious ~yxa/a~a..,, or Condefcenfion, conveys the Knowledge of himldf, and fpiritual Things, by preaching them by their refpective earthly, or terre!l:ial Similitudes. '·' If I have told you of earthly Things, and ye believe not; how fhaH " ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly Things," 2 John iii. 12. The Sacra Phi!o!ogia, was more particularly defigned for the Benefit and Affill:ance of young Students aad Minill:ers. And it is certain, that no Clafs of Men have more need of Learning than the Minifrers of the Gof– pel, becaufe their Employment is of the highefr Cont:ern, viz. rightly to divide the Word of Truth, and therefore that facred Office is not to be intruded into, but by Perfons duly qualified, and called. And moft certai11 it is, that human Literature withollt Grace, has often proved· a dangerous Enemy to the Chrill:ian Religion, and barely confidered in itfelf, gives no Right to the Exercife of that facred Function, any more than the meaneft of mechanical Arts. For as Dr. Car/ton, formerly Bifhop of Chichefter, well fays, " That a Layman that bath the Spirit of God, is better able to judge " of the Church, and its Members, than a Man in ecclefiafl:ical Function, " that hath not the Spirit of <:;od." And Jzfflin Martyr excellently fays, ~' Infelix eft fapientia extra •verbum Deifapere." So that it is not the Formality of academical Degrees, nor any philofophical Dexterity, which is to be exercifed in the Things that may be known by the Light of natural Reafon, nor variety of Languages, that qualifies a Preacher. He that Minifters the Word, ought principally td experience the Grace of God in his own Heart, and the Power of it, in that grand and evangelical Work of Regeneration ; as alfo to underfl:and thofe blcffed Myll:eries of the facred Scriptures, that he may unfold them to others, and have a lawful Call, which altogether Confl:itutes, though he never faw a Unive;jity. This Reafon was given by the royal Pfalmift, " I " have believed, and therefore have I fpokcn." His Faith being the Autho– rity for his Prophefying, or Preaching; yet I would not be underfl:ood to difparage human Learning, for it is excellent in its Place, when rightly employed. The Knowledge of the ~rigi11al Languages, in which the Scrip– tures arc penned, is of very great Utility, that we may Converfe with that facrcd Book in its own emphatical and native Idiom ; fo that this kind of Literature is good as a Handmaid, I-lagar like; but if it mufl: needs be Mill:refs, and ufurp Authority in the Family,; if like fcoffing Ijbmael, it ..,.;n mock at the S~irit, and the Simplicity of the Gofpel, let it be ca!l: out. To aid fuch whofe Chrill:ian.Minds incline them to infl:ruCl: others, when their tender Years have loft the Education of Languages, I fhould rejoice: But at the fame Time would ihongly recommend them to be in– defatigable towards the Attainment of the I-lct),·c"o and Greek Languages. And Reader, as I have introduced the Types into the Work, it is ne– ceffary to inform thee, that I believe there is a great DifFerence between metaphorical and typical Scriptures, yet I flattered myfeif, that the Work, inftead of being injured, would be more acceptable thereby. And becaufe 3 fome
lV p R E F A c E. (ome may not readily under!l:and the Difference, I will give you the Opi– nion of the Learned. I. Types, fuppofe the Verity of fome Hifrory, as Jonab's being three Days and three Nights in the Whale's Belly. When it is applied to Chrifr in the New Tefiament, it fuppofeth fuch a Thing was once done. Allegories have no fuch Suppofition, bur are as Parables, pro– pounded for fome myfrical End, 2. Type~ look only to matter of Fact, and compare ·one Fact with another, as Chrifr's being Slain, and lying three Days in the Grave, to Jonab's lying fo long in the Whale's Belly. But Allegories take in Words, Sentences, and Doctrines. both of Faith and Manners. For Infiance, I will refer you to the Marriage of the King's Son, as recorded in the twenty-firfr Chapter of Mattbew. 3. Types com– pare Perfons and FaCts under the Old Teftament, with Perfons and FaCts under the New, thus prefiguring another to come. Allegories regard Mat– ters in Hand, and intend the explaining fome myftical Senfe upon the Word, which at prefent they do not feem to bear. 4· Types are only Hif– torical, and the Truth of FaCt agreeing in the Antitype, makes them up. But Allegories are not intended to clear FaCts, but to explain DoCtrines, · affeCt the Heart, and convince the Confcience. As Natban made ufe of a Parable to convince David. Hence many learned a.nd judicious Pcrfons are of Opinion, that Allegories and Metaphors are more extenfive and,com– prehenfive in their Meaning, and Application than Types ; though Care ought to be had that they are not run beyond the Analogy of Faith. And now Reader, thou mayefi perceive, that what I have received, I am willing to communicate. Talents muft not be hid in Napkins. And that this Compilation may bring Glory to God, Advantage to thee, and to the Church of Chrifi in general, even for Ages to come, is, and !hall be the confrant Prayer of him, who is willing to ferve thee in the Work of the Gofpel for Chri!l:'s fake. B. .K E .A CH. P. S. Mr. Keach wrote three Prefaces to his Metaphors, &c. which he .publifhed at feveral Times, and the above Preface is ex<ra{ted out of them. In this, the Reader will find the Matter, Spirit, and Particulars, preferved, and little more than Apologies omitted; but fhould there be any Deficiency, it is hoped that the Recom– mendations of many of the moll: eminent Divines of this Day w1ll make an ample Recompence. THE EDIT 0 R. THE
c 0 N T B 0 0 K I. P ART I. Page er"HE Di·vim Authority, &c. from vii to 1 Chap. xxiv. I. Of a Met!Jizomy of the Caufe - 2 Ir. ------- - Ejfefi - I2 Ill. -------- Subjefi - I4 lV. ------- Acljunfi - I9 V. Of an Irony and Antiphrajis - 29 V!. Ofa Metaphor in general 36 VII. Of an Anthropopathy - 40 'Ihe Parts and Members of a Man attributed to God - ibid. Human AjfefiioJZS aftribed to God 48 ---Afiions aftribed to God 50 ---Adjunfis afcribed to God 65 VIII. Metaphors tranjlated from other Creatures to God - 76 Afiions of living Creatures afcribed to God 77 'Ihe Parts andMembers of a living Creature afcribed to God 78 IX. Of a Profop"patia ~ 8 X. Metaphors taken from God, &c. 97 --- ----- Angels - 99 -------- Heaven I OO -------- Light - I 04 -------- 'Iime - 106 --------Fire - 109 -------- Air I I3 -------- Water I 17 -------- Earth I 24 X I. -------- Minerals, Plants, and living Creatures 128 --------iuailimate Bodies ibid. -------- 'Ihings growing out of the Earth - I 3 I -------- tbe Olive 'Iree and its Fntit I 35 - ------ - tbe Vine 136 - ----- Corn,&c. 138 ----- - -- the Parts and Membert of living CreatNres I4I c E N T s. Chap. Page Metaphors takm from the Kinds of living Creatures I47 XII. -------- Man and what belongs to him I 55 -------- a human Body and its Parts ibid, ----fuch 'Ihings as concern the L ife of M an - I 6 I ----------- Human Senfe 1 62 --------- the variot<s Difference of Mankind I 6§ --------- the various Afiions of Men I 68 --------- the contain· ing Sztbjefis I 70 -------- the various Acljunfis of Men - I 73 XIII. -------Jacred Perfans and'l'bings I78 --------Menfacred to God - - I/9 ---------- Places facred to God ibid. ------ ---- facred Rites - I 8r X IV. Of a Synecdoche I 84 XV. A Synecdoche of the Species - I 85 XVI.-----Whole - I86 XVII. Part I B] XVIII. Of a Catachrifis I88 XIX. Of an Hyperbole I Bg XX. Of an Allegory I92 XXI. Of a Proverb I96 XXU. Of an/Enigma I97 P AR T II. I. Of the Figures of a Word - I99 I!. Of a Parononzajia 20 1 Ill. Of Antanaclajis 202 I V. Of the Figures of a Sentence ilz Logijin 203 V. Of m1 Erotifis or Interrogation 2 I O VI. Of
vi C 0 N T E N T S. Chap. Page VI. Of the Figures. of a Sentence in Dialogifin 2I~ VII. Of other Schemes of Sentences and Amplijications · 2 1 3 r. Schemes taken from Caufes ibid. 2. ----·---Acijuntlsand .Circumfttmces ibid. 3· _______:___ Di.JParatesor di.fferent 'Things - 2 Lj. 4· ------- Oppojites or Contraries 215 5· ------- Comparates 216 6. ------- Divijion ibid. 7· -------Definition ibid. 8. -----~- 'lejlimony 217 Of TYPES. !micle I. 'The Definition ofa 'Type *225 I!. Of the Divifion of 'Types *228 ,III. Ofprophetical'l'ypes and 1Jpical and jjmbolical Atlions ibid. IV. Ofprophetical and typical Vifions *zzg V. Ofan hiflor.ical'l'ype ami .itsfirft Divijion · *231 VI. Other .Divifions of an hijlorical 'l'ype - *232 YII. Nine Cano11s or Rules ex- _pounding 'I'ypes *233 'Of P A R A B L E S. . 1. 'I'he Definition of the Word and 'J'hing *238 2. Its Divifion ibid . 3· Canons refpefling it *.239 B 0 0 K II. J,{etaphors,&c. rejpetling God the Father 225-297 Page Metaphors, &c. reJPeaing Chrifl 298-475 ----------the Holy Spirit 476-509 B 0 0 K III. I Metaphors, &c. that relate to the Word of God - 510-582 B 0 0 K IV. Metaphors, &c. re/peEling Grace 583-613 ---------Baptifm and the Lord's Supper - 613-625 ---------the holy Angels of God, and the Soul and Spirit of Man 626-649 ---------the . Church of God 6so-6gg ---------Mm ]00-705 ---------Saints 7·05-76r ----.----- Wicked Men 761-8rr ---------trueMiniflers 8J 2-842 -------~falfeMiniflm - 842-8-4-6 ---------falfe Churches - 846-877 ---------Sill - 878- 904 ·---------the Devil - 904-911 ----------the Day ofGrare,the Means ofGrace, and Godlinefs - 912-92 r ----------A.fflitlions92 I -934 ----------theWorld, tke Life of Man, and tke fottr lafl 'Ihi11gs 934-955 Mofes's Vail removed; or, Types of the Old 'I'ejlament explained 956-gB.~:> rr' l-IE
T H E DIVINE AUTHORITY ,OF THE l:IOLY SCRIPTUR E S A S SE R T E D A N D V I N D I C A T E D, .AND GROUNDLESS CAVILS A ·GA!NoT THE SAME' 'DETECTED A N D C 0 N F U T E D. 'THE main Scqpe of this Work, being to offer fome A ffifl:ance towards the explain– ing and finding out the true Senfe and Meaning of the Holy Scriptures, it will be convenient_, according to our Promife in our Specimenof th1s Undenaki-ng, to premife fomething touching the Divine Authority of that bleffed Book. For though it be com– monly owned by Chriftians to be the Word of God, yet lince on the one Hand, rhere are, etpe.:ially in this atheifl:ical Age, too many amongfl: us, whofe Love of Sin, and Refolurions to wnrinue therein, tempt then1 to feek for ihelrer in bold Contempt of, or fubtle Cavils againfl: thofe heavenly Oracks ; and on the other Hand, not a few· poor Souls are !ometimes ihaken with Temptations, and know nor how to difcharge themfelves from the enfnaring ~1efl:ions that they are often attacked with, touching the divine Ori– ginal and Authority of thofe facred Records ; not fo much for "'ant ofAjfent thereunto, as of a right Underfl:anding or Conlideration of the Grounds of that Airent, and rhe true formal J(eafon thereof; therefore that with a perfeCt Security to our prefem and fu– ture Welfare, we may rely on that Book, as the infallible Storehoufe of heavenly Ve– rities, that great and only Revelation, whereby God does inform, rule, and will judge the World ; we !hall fet forth fame Con(iderations evincing this moft important Truth: But finding that divers able and worthy Men have of late wrote mofl: learnedly and excel– lenrly upon th is SubjeCt, we !hall upon that Account be the more concife; and though we have !aid but little, yet we hope enough to fati sfy any rational conudering Man, and confute rhc vain Cavils of the Adverfary; for all along in this EJ!ay we fl:rive to join Perjpicuity with Brevity, and ro fpeak fo plainly and familiarly, that the weakefl: Ca– pacity may with eafe gather it up; the NegleCt hereof having rendered the Labors of fome others on the fame SubjeCt lefs ferviceable to the vulgar unlearned Reader. It being our great Delign to endeavor the Help and Efl:abli!hment of the Unfkilful, and to aOift weak Chri!Tians; knowing, that if Satan can once bring them into a Diffidence of the Truth and Authority of God's 'vVord, he at the fame Iniiant !hakes the verv Foundation of all their Hope and Religion: And if tbc Foundations fail, what jhall th~ Rzghteow do? Pfa!. xi. 3·
viii 0 F T H E D I V I N E A U T H 0 R I T Y 'l'hat the Scripture, or Book called th.e llible, is of divine Original, injpired by the Spirit of Cod, a;rd therefore of infallible 'l'ruth and Authority, appears, ' I. By the Contents, or Matters therein difcovered and treated of, which are fo tran– fcendently jitblime and myfterious that they could never be the Produc'l: of human In– vention, or Difcovery; and therefore though written by Men, as Jnftruments, muft needs be revealed from above: For what human Brain could ever have imagined a 'l'rinity in the Deity, Matt. xxviii. I9· 1 ]ohn v. 7· or fuch an Exiflence of one fimple Elfence as this Book acquaints us withal? lt defcribes the Perfon of Chrift, fo plainly, fitly and excellently, that if the Mind of Man confider it attentively, of necellity it muft needs acknowledge, it cloth far exceed the Reach of a finite Underf\anding. lt difcovers unto us the Mifery and Corruption of Man by Nature, together with that general Defec'l: of the whole Creation, which though fome of the Heathen had (ome glimpfe of, yet could never find Ot)t the Caufe, nor how it came to paf> ; no finite In– tellec'l: could ever have travelled into fuch Heights and Depths, touching the Nature of God and his eternal Counfds, that ltupendous Contrivement for the Salvation of Man, that the fecond Perfon fhould defcend from H eaven, and alfume human Nature into a Conjunction with the Divine, take upon hini in his own Perfon the Sin of Man– kind, and die for the World, thereby making a Satisfaction pt·oportionate to infinite Juftice, fo that God may fhew the utmoft AB: of Mercy, in a Conjunction with the higheft Exercife of ]uftice: Nothing lefs than an infinite Underftanding could have found out Expedients to reconcile thofe two infinite Attributes, in his Dealings with an apoftate Creature. lt unfolds the Covenant of Grace, which God made after the Fall, all which can be drawn from no other Fountain but Divine Revelation, I Cor. ii. 7· Eph. iii. 4, r,. It contains the L aw of God, which is wife and juft, the Gentiles themfelves being Judges, Dau. iv. 5, 6, 7· Jn its Preceprs fhines forth its Divinity; 1. The furpafling Excellency of the AB:, requiring that we !hould deny ourfelves in all thofe Things which the corrupt Nature of Man cleavetl1 to, and hateth to foreao. 2. The wonderful Equity that doth appear in every Command. 3· The admirable Strangenef> of fome AB:s, which a natural Man would account Foolifhnefs, and yet prefcribed as abfolutely necclfary, ]ohn iii. 36. and viii. 24. fhews its divine Original. 4- The Manner how Obedience is required, viz. that it proceed from a pure Heart, a good Confcience, and Faith unfeigned, Deut. vi. 5· I Cor. xiii. 1. I 'l'im. i. 4, 5· Take a View of the Ten Commandments, are they not plain, brief, perfect, juft, ex~ tending to all, binding the Confcience, and reaching to the very Thoughts? And - do not all thefe Things commend unto us the J uftice, Wifdom, Holinefs, Omnipotence, {)mnifcience, Perfection, and abfolute Sovereignty of the Law-maker? It is a,Book that comprehends an univerfal Hiftory of the World, paft, prefent, and to come: Its Contents reach as far as the firft Foundations of the Earth and Heavens, give qs an Account of God's Re·velations to Man ever fince his firft make, and the Par– ticulars of an lntercourfe between God and the World, for near upon two thoufand and five hundred Ye.rs, before they were any where extant upon Record; what other Book, fince the World began, fo much as pretended to do this ? A Book! which as it was fixteen hundred Years a writing, (for fo long it was from the Time of Mofes, till ]ohn clofed it with the Revelations;) fo the Matters it treats of, are of the moft excellent Na– ture and higheft Concernment. To give the World a fatisfac'l:ory Account not only of its Original, but of its End too; to bring Man acquainted with his true fovereign Happinefs; and a moft wonderful and aftonifhing Method of Reconciliation with his Maker: Its Promifes are everlaftina Glory, and never-fading Crowns: Its Precepts perfect Righteoufnefs, Gal. iii. 10. and altogether fuch as tend moft to the Honor of God, the Happinefs of a Man's Self, and the Quiet of the World: Its 'l'hreatenings, are of Miferies 1hat are endlefs: Its whole 'l'endency, is to a ProfpeB: beyond the Grave : What H eathen ever fo much as dreamed of the Refurrec'l:ion? yYho but the Lord could be Author of fuch Laws, that only can gtve eternal Ltfe, and mfi1B: eternal Death ? Thefe Thtngs can move the Confcience of·none, but fuch who acknowledge the Precepts thereof to be Divine, In a Word its general Subjefls are Myfteries no where elfe to be heard of, and without fuch a M~nifeftation, uuconceivable. Now confidering the P.remifes, what lefs than infinite \'i'ifdom can be the fuppofecl Author of f11ch a Book ? ' 2 II. By
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