mily were not perverted, fo that Micah might have procur'd fuch Images, and perhaps to enquire about David. So 2 Kings xxiii. 24. Ezek. xxi. 21, and Zach. x. 2, in Distinction to those set up in the Tabernacle or firft Temple, I think they were call'd Teraphim, and as true Answers werę given in the Tabernacle and the first Temple: So Zach. x. 2, false Answers were, or were pretended to be given by those us'd in falfe Worship.

בית עזמות

Mention'd 2 Efd. vii. 28. If it be

compounded of ty Strength and

the Exercife of the Faculty of the Mind or Imagination, it belongs to this Clafs and as Aleim, the Giver of Strength to exercise the Faculty of the Mind. The Word is us'd in a good Senfe for Jehovah, and for thofe whofe Minds were directed by Revelation; and in the worst of Senfes, for those whofe Minds were not directed by Revelation, but left to Imagi nations; fo that the Confequences of Imagining are, as it were, comprehended in this Word: And as thofe who worthipp'd thefe

thefe Aleim were not guided by Revelation, but Imagination, these are those who they suppos'd gave Strength to the Imagination, 'tis likely, afleep as well as wakings and perhaps these Aleim have had as many Votaries under this Attribute, as any other. I fhall fhew the Construction of the Word, in a few of many Instances, for Jehovah Aleim, Job xlii. 2, And no Thought of thine can be hindred. Jer. iv. 28, I have purpos'd it. Ib. xxiii. 20, XXX. 24, 'till he have perform'd the Thoughts (Intents) of his Heart. Zach. i. 6, viii. 14, 15, Like as the Lord of Hofts thought to do unto us.

So to Studiers of Revelation, Prov. i. 3, To the young Man Knowledge and Difcretion. Ib. iii. 21, Keep found Wisdom and Difcretion. Ib. viii. 12, And find out the knowledge of Thoughts (S. good Thought.) So in those who departed from Revelation, Gen. xi. 6, And now nothing will be restrain'd from them which they have imagin'd to do. Levit. xix. 29, And the Land became full of Wickedness. Job xxxi. 11, For this is an heinous Crime. Pfal. xxxvii. 7, Because of the Man who does after Imaginations. Pf. cxxxix. 20, For they provoke thee by Imaginations. Prov. x. 23, It is as Sport to a Fool, to do Mif

Ff 4

chief.

chief. Ib. xii. 2, But a Man of wicked Devices will be condemn. Ib. xiv. 17. A Man of wicked Devices is hated. Ib. xxiv. 8, He that devifeth to do Evil, fhall be call'd a mischievous Perfon. The Thought of Foolishness is Sin. Jer. xi. 15, She hath wrought Lewdness with many. Ib. xiii. 27, The Lewdness of thy Fornication. Ezek. xvi. 58, Thou hast born thy Lewdness. Ib. xxiii. 21, The Lewdness of thy Youth. ver. 44, As they go in unto a Woman that playeth the Harlot, fo went they in into Aholah and Aholibah, the lewd Woman. ver. 48, Thus will I caufe Lewdness to cease. ver. 49, And they shall recompenfe your Lewd. nefs upon you, and ye shall bear the Sins of your Idols. Thefe, with the Adjuncts, and many more fuch, are the Words us'd for this Word, when it is us'd for the Actions of the Minds of Men who acted as those who call themselves Free Thinkers, that is, who thought or imagin'd without the Guide of Revelation. I would not leave Room to have it faid, that I intended to decry the Ufe of the Faculty of the Mind; but the ufing it about Things reveal'd before we use it in fearching the Original, till we are fatisfied we underftand the Revelation; or even then against,

or

or in Oppofition to, what is reveal'd in it : Which is no more than allowing that the Aleim can reafon and understand, and dictate to Writers, better than we can. If this Word be compounded of y Strength and Death, it belongs to a Class below.

בית בראי

Μ Min the fecond Part of M. P. p. 514.

Ention'd 1 Chron. iv. 31; explain'd

The Word expreffes the Act of Creation. I doubt the Heathens us'd no Word in their Worship in that Sense: I think they meant no further, than from Atoms to form Vegetables, or Bodies, or fupply those form'd. Their Aleim, the Names, and every Thing they form'd are claim'd by Creation. Gen i. 1, In the Beginning the Aleim created the Names and the Earth. I have hinted in another Manner, in the fecond Part of M. P. p. 2, as the Names and the Earth were only nam'd in the general Creation, Ver. 21, Whales, and every Thing which was form'd out of Matter, in the Water, are faid to be created: But as the Earth was nam'd, Vege

tables

tables and Creatures which were brought out of the Earth, needed not be said to be created, but form'd. And as Man was form'd of Adamah, a Species of Matter not nam❜d before, Ver. 27, so the Aleim created Man in his own Image, In the Image of the Aleim created be him (this was fomething befides Male and Female created them) Male and Female created be them. For want of diftinguishing between Creation and Formation, they have made Adam of two Sexes: Adam only was form'd when there was a general Def cription of the Creation of Adamah: Eve was created when Adam and all other Matter was created; fo comprehended in the particular Defcription of the Matter they were made of: But Eve was not form'd, further than a Rib, when Adam was formed, and afterwards God, as it is exprefs'd, built up the Rib for her: So Ifai. xliii. 7, For I have created him for my Glory: I have form'd him; yea, I have made him.

בית