1 anfwered thee in the fecret Place of L1 phets, phets. To confider the feveral Methods of anfwering perform'd by Jehovah, and pretended to by the Priests of the falfe Aleim, Obfervers, &c. would take up more compass than this will afford. If the Perfon who cry'd to his Aleim thought he reliev'd him, that would produce another Effect upon the Mind; he would naturally thank, and speak of, his Power and Goodnefs, or praise him to other Men. And as the Action of Praise even before the Face of a Prince, is Flattery; fo in the Sacred Scriptures that Part is always directed to be paid before other Men, or Congregations, that they may be better'd thereby. Those who are for keeping the Conftruction of the Hebrew in their own Power, infift upon yet another Text where 773* fhould be curfing; that is Job i. 10, Satan fays by way of Infinuation Touch all that he hath, and he will curfe, or blefs, thee to thy Faces. Indeed Solomon, whofe Authority cannot be withftood, has determin'd how fuch Sorts of Bleflings are to be accepted; Prov. xxvii. 14, N if Conftrue the Words literally and they fay-Put forth thy Hand now, and touch all that he hath; he has not bleffed thee to thy Face. If he be a true worshipper take away what thou haft given him; and we shall fee it. 14, He that bleffeth his Friend with a loud Voice, rifing early in the Morning, it shall be counted a Curfe unto him: In another View was that Mat. xxii. 16, Mafter, we know that thou art true, and teacheft the Way of God in Truth. Neither careft thou for any Man; for thou regardeft not the Perfon of Men, &c. אילון בית חנן מגדל חננאל T HE First is mention'd, 1 Kings iv. 10. The Second, 2 Efdr. iii. 1. xii. 39. Jer. xxxi. 38. Zach. xiv. 10. The Word fignifies to intend or act for the Benefit of others, or confer Benefits upon others; in free Agents, at the Incitement of a beneficent Mind, mercifully, without Expectation of Returns, for nothing. So when 'tis us'd in Prayer to ask upon thefe Terms. If they look'd no further than this Machine, then that which without any Incitement in itself, other than Mechanifm, acts as above; and, as it is without Incitement, fo without Expectation; and fo was according to the Intent of the Worshipper; the Perfons, or the Agents, the Names, which act as above. The Oak, befide the Temple, fhews that they had fome regard to the Oath made to perform the Covenant, to redeem Man, which was for Man's Benefit, without Merit; or to Acts of Grace, after Death, in another State: And the Tower, which I fuppofe was built in fome Figure, to represent fome Attribute in the Heavens, fhews that they there look'd the other way. Numb.xi. 5, Which we did eat in Egypt gratis. 2 Sam. xxiv. 24, Neither will I offer burnt Offerings unto Jehovah my Alcim, of that which doth cost me nothing. Job. i. 9, Doth Job fear the Alcim for nothing? Mal. i. 10, Neither do ye kindle Fire on mine Altar for nought. In Declarations, Exod. xxxiv. 6. Pfa. lxxxvi. 5. ciii. 8. cxi. 4. cxii. 5. cxvi. 5. cxlviii. 8, Jehovah, Jehovah Aleim, merciful and gracious, long fuffering, and abundant in Goodness and Truth. Exod. xxxiii. 19, And will be gracious to whom I will be gracious. 2 Kings xiii. 23, And Jehovah was gracious unto them, and had Compassion on them, and had Refpect unto them, becaufe of the Terms of his Purification. 2 Chron. XXX. 9, For Jehovah your Alcim is gracious, and merciful, and will not turn away his Face from you, if ye return un to to him. Pfal. lxxxiv. 11, Jehovah will give Grace, and Glory, and no good Thing will be withold from them that walk uprightly. Joel ii. 13, Jonah iv. 2, For ke is gracious and merciful, flow to Anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the Evil. In the general Bleffing, Numb. vi. 25, Jehovah make his Faces Shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee. So in Particulars, Gen. vi. 8, But Noah found Grace in the Eyes of Jehovah. Exod. xxxiii. 17, For thou (Mofes) haft found Grace in my Sight. So as a Petition without Confideration, 1 Kings viii. 30. And hearken thou to the Supplication of thy Servant. Pfal. xxviii. 6, Because he hath heard the Voice of my Supplications. As the Benefits of the Covenant were granted gratis; so Pfal. xlv. 2, Grace is poured out by thy Lips, (in thy Confeffions, in the Conditions of the Purification). To those whofe Iniquity was full, Deut. vii. 2, Thou shalt not cut off a Purifier with them, nor fhew Mercy unto them. There are abundance more Claims, and feveral Perfons took Names from this חנניה fo בעל חנן fomme with Adjuncts, as כית &c. L13 |
