NOT IMMEDIATELY GIVEN.

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pass, that all the nations springing from Adam, should have begun back with the very elements of speech, and proceeding from these, have formed so many and such different languages. According to this supposition, then, a great miracle would have been wrought in behalf of our first parents, from which none of their posterity had reaped the least advantage. This is not according to the manner of God in his other works.

(b) The supposition, that the original language of man was copious and finished, overlooks the fact, that language cannot be such where objects and ideas are still scanty and imperfect. Ideas arise from the perception of objects; and the number, clearness, and distinctness of our ideas, is in proportion to the number of objects which we behold, either simply, or in connexion with others. But language contains the signs and symbols by which we express our ideas of things, and communicate them to others. How then could there be a perfect language in that simplicity of human life, in which there were but few objects to be seen or compared? The advocates of this supposition are driven to the absurdity of saying, that man could have spoken of things, which he had never seen or thought of. It was remarked by Samuel Werenfels, very truly, that if one should look through the most comprehensive and complete dictionary, he would find but few words which could have belonged to the language of Adam.

(c) Again; of what use could a rich and cultivated language have been to our first parents? And if of none, how can the supposition, that such a language was miraculously given them, be reconciled with divine wisdom, which does not work miracles except for some important object? Now it is perfectly obvious, that to them, in their peaceful and simple life, when they had but few wants, and those easily satisfied, such a language would have been of no utility. They had as yet no ideas of innumerable things which became afterwards known as improvement advanced; and for such things, of course, they had no words in their language. The language of our first parents, in its incipient state, could not naturally have been more copious or perfect, than the language of nations generally while they are still in their infancy, and possess but few ideas, and of course have, and need to have, but few words to express them.

(d) We justly conclude, from what we see of the wisdom of God in all his other works, that he did not endow man, on his creation,

with any advantage which he himself could attain in the diligent use of the powers and faculties of his nature. So we conclude that man has no innate ideas, because he can easily obtain the ideas he possesses by the use of his intellectual powers. And with still more reason may we conclude on the same ground, that man has no imagines innatas, sive signa innata idearum de rebus. The Bible makes no mention of any such; on the contrary it teaches, that one way in which our first parents learned language was from their intercourse with irrational creatures, in giving names to which, they first exercised the faculty of speech.

2. The second class affirm, that God did not bestow language itself upon man, at his creation; but gave him powers and faculties which would enable him to form a language for himself, and gradually to refine and enrich it, as his circumstances might require. Those who hold this opinion may have as sincere admiration for the wisdom of God and gratitude for his goodness, as the advocates of the other theory. Among the ancients, Epicurus (vid. Lucretius), and among the fathers, Tertullian and Gregory of Nyssa, assented to this opinion; and it was considered even by Quenstädt as entirely unobjectionable.

These writers, however, differ among themselves respecting the manner in which man proceeded in the developement and improvement of his faculties for speech. The strangest conjecture on this point is that of Maupertius, that language was formed by a session of learned societies, assembled for the purpose !-The theory which derives the most support from history is, that the roots, the primitive radical words of articulate and conventional language, were originally made in imitation of the sounds which we hear from the different objects in the natural world, and that these original sounds, in imitation of which language is first formed, become less and less discernible in these languages, in proportion as they are improved and enlarged, and the radical words are subjected to various alterations and inflexions. Vid. Herder, Ueber den Ursprung der Sprache, (a prize Essay,) Berlin, 1772; 2d Ed. 1778, 3d. 1789. Cf. the works of Tetens and Tiedemann on this subject; also Jerusalem, Betrachtungen, Th. II. S. 134, f.

These views respecting the origin of language are entirely consistent with the very natural representation, which Moses gives, Gen. 2: 19, 20, of the naming of the animals; vid. § 52, II. These

NATURALLY DEVELOPED.

407 were the first objects to which man directed his attention, and to these he gave names, sometimes derived from his calls to them, and sometimes from voices and sounds, which they themselves made. In this way, then, man was first led to exercise his powers of speech. And it was perfectly natural for him to begin to speak by giving names to animals, as they are more interesting to him, and more nearly related to him, than the inanimate creation.

Now when our first parents were to be instructed in moral objects, which could not be recognized by their senses, it must necessarily be done by images drawn from nature, and especially from animals, and so their names and the names of their actions were figuratively applied, in the poverty of the then existing language, to designate moral objects. In conformity with these views, we must interpret what God says, Gen.11. IV. ; which would have been unintelligible to our first parents, if it had been expressed in such language and phraseology as is now common among us; but which, being expressed in a figurative manner, was level to their comprehension. This is the way in which missionaries are now compelled to proceed, when they have to do with men who have no ideas on religious and spiritual subjects, and of course no words answering to them in their language. Instruction intended for children, also, must be conveyed in the same figurative language and style; and they are always found to be most interested in allegories and fables, like those of Æsop. Those who object to this mode of instruction, only prove, then, their own ignorance. Instruction imparted to uncultivated men, must of necessity be given in a figurative manner; because they not only speak, but even think in figures. From abstract expressions, they derive but faint conceptions. The case is entirely different among cultivated men.

§ 56. Of the primitive state of man; his external advantages; and the notion of a golden age.

I. Original external advantages of man.

This is the second class of the distinguishing advantages of our first parents, as divided in the beginning of § 54. They have their ground in the external relation of man to the other creatures of the

earth; but they presuppose in him the possession of those internal excellencies described, §§ 54, 55. These advantages are comprehended under the general description, the dominion of man over the earth, or over the creatures of the earth, Morus, p. 104, §21; and this is taken from Gen. 1: 26, sq. coll. Gen. 9: 2. This dominion implies nothing more, than that man possesses (a) the right and title to make all the creatures of the earth contribute to his own advantage, to the supply of his wants, and to the convenience of his life; and (b) that he possesses both the power and skill, to compel them to that subservience to which their nature is adapted; cf. § 52, II.-It is said by Plato, in a passage in Timæus respecting the creation of men, as translated by Cicero: "Tales creantur, ut Deorum immortalium quasi gentiles esse debeant, divini generis appellentur (cf. Acts 17: 28, from Aratus, zou yao naì yévos ¿ouév), teneantque omnium animantium principatum." God has placed man, as lord, at the head of the animate creation; made him his image upon the earth,-a subordinate god,-a representative of the Deity. And the irrational creatures, whose knowledge cannot extend beyond what they can recognize by their senses, can conceive of nothing superior to man. Of God and of spiritual things they know nothing, and so can have no duties to perform to him. Their business is to submit to man, as their lord and ruler. And God has given to man the means to compel them to this obedience, for which they were made. With many animals, even since the fall, this subjection to man seems to be natural and easy; they are inclined to his service of their own accord; or are readily prevailed upon by favors or chastisements, to engage in it.

This dominion which was conferred upon man over the animate and the inanimate creation, he still retains, at least in a good measure. It is represented as still the prerogative of man in Ps. 8: 6-9, the whole of which passage is a paraphrase of Gen. 1: 26, sq. (On the question, whether this dominion is only a part, or the whole of what is intended, when it is said, that man was made in the image of God, cf. 53, I. II.) Theologians, however, frequently assert, that since the fall, man does not possess this dominion over the inferior creation in its full extent. And it does not follow from the words of Moses, considered by themselves, that he ever did. Moses, however, and other sacred writers clearly teach, that such wild, intractable, and cruel beasts, as are now found upon the earth, were

IN HIS ORIGINAL STATE.

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unknown to man in his original condition, where they were all tame and subject to his will. This is clear, too, from the figurative description which the prophets give of the return of that happy age: e. g. Is. 11: 6. 65: 25. The same opinions respecting that hap py age of innocence in the youth of the world are found among the Greeks, Romans (cf. Virg. Ecl. 4), and almost all nations.

From the relation which man holds to irrational creatures, as their master and ruler, he owes them several important duties; the consideration of which belongs, however, rather to the department of morals, than of theology.

II. The notion of a golden age.

1. The notion of a golden age of the world is almost universal; and although somewhat modified by the peculiar opinions and customs of each people, it is yet found diffused through all ages and nations, as far as history extends, and is every where substantially the

same.

All nations believe, that the original state of the earth and of the human race, was far more happy, and cheerful, and in every respect better, than the present; and that, either at once or more gradually, the world degenerated. The notions which the Grecians, and the nations which adopted their mythology,—the Romans and others, entertained respecting the different ages, the golden, silver, etc., are generally known. Cf. Hesiod, "Eoy. xai u. vs. 109-201. Ovid, Met. I. 89-162. Virgil, Ecl. IV. and the selections from Plato and Diodorus in Euseb. Præp. Evan. I. 7. XII. 13. [Cf. Lucretius, De rerum nat. II. 332, sq. Tibullus, I. 3, 35, sq. Seneca, Hipp. V. 524.] The same opinions substantially are found among rude and savage nations,-the inhabitants of Kamschatka, Tartary, the Indians in North and South America, the South-Sea Islands,

etc.

2. What is the source of these ideas, which are so universally diffused?

(a) It was formerly supposed very generally, that all these mythological fables were only traditionary relics and fragments of a direct divine revelation. The Mosaic history was regarded as the only source from which these various and wide spread ideas were derived; and to show how they were handed down from one age to another, and transmitted from the Hebrews to the Greeks, Romans, and others, has been very often attempted. But the arguments em