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not giving the idea conveyed by Berith, which idea was faid to be proved beyond all contradiction to be Purification. In confequence of which notion, Mr H. who denied it was at any time, a Covenant, had always rendered it by Purifier or Purification, when he tranflated it; though he sometimes gave the word itself, untranflated; in which way of tranflating it, or of writing it untranflated, he was constantly followed by those who took their forms and interpretations from him. And at length it was declared to all the world, that they had the permiffive Law of all the Bishops of our Church, to make Berith He or that which purifies, fo the purifier or purification. Pref. to Mr H.'s Works.

THUS things ftood, when I ventured to offer to the Public, with all deference and fubmiffion, my own opinion of this conftruction, with a juftification of the common verfion by Covenant.

ONE of my opponents, Mr Holloway, has thought fit to be quite filent on this head; and to withdraw himself wholly from this part of the debate: Though the Title of his Pamphlet gave encouragement

to

to hope I might have had his Sentiments on the Differtation upon Berith, as well as on the former upon Elohim.

THE Author of the Chriftian Plan like wife hath only occafionally touched upon this word, and interfperfed a Remark here and there, in favour of Mr H.'s conftruction of it, and, I think too, not much in prejudice of mine.

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FOR he fays, p. 8. that " Berith may fignify a treaty or covenant, or an ordinance, ftatute, or commandment," only he adds, " as they are the terms and "means of Purification."

Mr Aboab, though he writes profeffedly against my exceptions, hath not found matter enough for a dozen pages; and owns ingenuously in one place, that " Be-. "rith is undoubtedly applied to that "tranfaction which the English names a "Covenant, and as it hath no word for "fuch an action, expreffive of the Hebrew "word for it" he does not "fee any impropriety in fo tranflating it in fome "places." p. 53.

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Mr Bate fays, " I acknowledge that it "doth fignify Covenant, but not the Words of a Covenant.”

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And tells us, that

Purification

Purification was Covenant with the An"cients." p. 158.

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AND Mr Moody is of opinion that "Berith may be rendered occafionally, "covenant, league, confederacy, or bond, as "Cranmer often tranflates it in his Bible, "where Covenant now ftands." p. 103. And he quotes, and allows of the LXX verfion of 72, by rus meyains Brans αγγελα. P. 49.

THUS far then, I conceive, they do all allow the interpretation I contended for, viz. that Berith, in fome places may be rendered Covenant: One of them further allowing, that it may fignify Covenant, and another, that it doth fignify Covenant; which was one point I endeavoured to obtain an acknowledgment of, because Mr H. had peremptorily faid (in Trin. of the Gent.) Still Berith is not a Covenant."

IT is true they permit the use of the word Covenant only on fuppofition that we retain with it the idea of Purification, provided alfo, that when Berith is joined with Carath, we acknowledge either an actual Sacrifice, (in which Berith means the Victim, i.e. the means of Purification) or at least a reference to fuch a Sacrifice

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(as a purifying inftitution). For to this purpose, if I mistake not, they do all at fome time or other, exprefs themselves; whereby they endeavour to fave appearançes, and to fecure Mr H-'s conftruction, as far as they are able, from being hurt by the conceffions they are obliged to make of Berith fignifying Covenant in some paffages.

THEY alledge indeed Mr H-'s reafons taken from the Etymology of the word,—that the primary or radical idea or image is never to be dropped, but is to be retained in all the derivatives from the fame root, &c. But yet they differ among themselves, about fettling this fundamental point, viz. the first or leading Idea.

MR Bate propofes 2 for the root, and not. p. 151. " because one (he fays) "is as many as we want, and as many as

ufage gives it." He had given feveral reasons in his Defence of Mr H.'s Plan. P. 89. Why could not be the root. And thefe he defends from p. 151. to p. 155.

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MR Aboab apprehends,

,ברברר <<

,, are not different roots, but only different deflexions of one root;

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and he is inclined to think that a alfo " is a branch from ." p. 49.

THE Author of the Chriftian Plan. "From BaR or BaRaR, noun or verb, "the word BaRA fignifying creavit, ordinavit, and BaRE to chufe, elegit, may and probably do come, as their "fenfes of accommodation lead us to fuppose." p. 8.

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"ITAKE (fays Mr Moody) to be

to ברר ברא ברה the primary root, and »

«be derivatives." p. 105.

AND then as to the idea belonging to the root, Mr Bate fays, that "

is a

"general word, and includes all the cleani fers in Nature, and what is expreffed by all the other words put together.

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It is clean by whatever manner made so, σε by fire, by falt, by oil, by water, or by any other means." p. 124.

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MR Aboab tells us, "The Purification expreffed by is performed by fecretion, feparation, or felecting one thing "from another. Hence, fat, which " is a purification of matter, fecreted " through particular tubes, and forms "what the Physicians call membrana adipofa," &c. p. 49.

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