that is the Fruit of OUR Lips, giving Thanks (or CONFESSION) to his Name. And they have made another doubtful Error in the fourth Verfe, by Addition of the Words MAY REACH, in another Letter: Ver. 3. And they faid one to another, (Heb. A MAN SAID TO HIS NEIGHBOUR,) Go to Ver. 4. And they faid, Go to, let us build us a City whofe Top MAY REACH unto Heaven; and let us make us a Name, left we be Scattered abroad upon the Face of the whole Earth. What was this Tower for a Landmark, that thofe which were at a Distance might fee it, and hit their Way Home? It food in a Valley. What, was it for a Fortification? They were all one People. Was the City for a Metropolis, for the Seat of an univerfal Empire? What Occafion that the Top of the Tower fhould reach to Heaven? Had they imagined that fomething would befall them, when the Top of the Tower reached thither, or was finished? Did they imagine that the Ether above the Clouds was the Seat of the Gods, and that they were to be immortal when they fhould arrive thither? No; it was to get a Name, and the Confequences of it here, the Temptation and Hopes of all Imaginers. But if we leave out MAY REACH, and read as it is,

2

With its Top to the Heavens, I doubt it means that the City was for themselves ; and that the Top of this Tower was to be dedicated, made an Altar to, and the Ether, the Heaven, was to be a God. Then what means, left we be fcattered abroad upon the Face of the whole Earth? They knew by Revelation, that they were to people the Earth, and they might fee that they would foon be too many to live in one Place; how could this prevent it? Us, refers not to them all, but to the Perfon fpeaking, and his Neighbour; and is faying, in Effect, Let us draw in this People to build fuch an Altar, and worship fuch a God, and then when Part of the People are difperfed, we two, or we few, who have found them this God, fhall have a great Name, and that Name will bring us fomething elfe; we fhall be honoured next to that God, by all who will worship him, and live at this Metropolis in great State, be Kings, or Priefts; we will, in the Name of this God, grant them full Liberty to live as they pleafe; nay, enjoin them to do what will please them moft, and promise that he will do them all the Good imaginable here, and call them to no Account hereafter, and that will take. Ver. 6. And the Lord faid, Behold the Peo

ple

ple is one; and they have all one Language, (or LIP,) and this they begin to do, and now nothing will be refrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Ver. 7. Go to, let us go down and there confound their Language (or LIP) that they may not underftand one another's Speech (or, Words.) Ver. 8. So the Lord fcattered them abroad from thence, upon the Face of the whole Earth; and they left off to build the City. Ver. 9. Therefore is the Name of it called Babel, because the Lord did there confound the Language (or LIP) of all the Earth; and from thence did the Lord fcatter them abroad upon the Face of the whole Earth. I am to take Notice, that the Tranflators have been fo put to their Shifts, to make it pafs for Senfe, in the Manner they have put it, that though they have put Language and Speech, as Things fome ways different, in the firft Verfe; in the feventh they have made the fame Word, firft Language, and after Speech; whereas if they had put it Confeffion, or Worship with the Lip, it would have been, confounded their Confeffions that one could not understand, or not agree to the Confeffion of another. This Scheme was not then thoroughly concerted; when the People, who were to do the Work, came to confider or enquire

what

what Benefit they were to have by this City, high Tower, and new God; the City was like to take away their Liberty, and the high Tower and new God, proved but Imaginations; and no Man could ever understand Works about Imaginations: The Cafe was the fame then, upon that Account, as it is now. 'Tis like it pleased God to ftir up those who believed in him, and liftened not to the Imaginers, to differ with them all; and those who did imagine would differ in their Imaginations; and nothing creates greater Oppofition, than to controul People, either in the true Worfhip, or in Imaginations; and fo the Work was deferted, and most of the People difperfed, and the joint Worship of all the People of God, divided between him and the Heavens, or Bel; and fo the unfinished Place called Babel, the Folly of Bel, or of the Heavens. But who got what was built, and the Name? Truly, Nimrod, the Heir of curfed Ham, Gen. x. 8. And Cuf begat Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one in the Earth; Ver. 9. He was a mighty Hunter before the Lord: Wherefore it is faid, Even as Nimrod the mighty Hunter before the Lord. Ver. 10. And the Beginning of bis Kingdom was Babel-We have fhewed above, to be a mighty one in the Earth,

was

was to be very wicked, and that feveral of them were Worshippers of this new God: Then what was it to be a mighty Hunter before the Lord? Jer. v. 26. For among my People are found wicked MEN, they lay wait as he that fetteth Snares; they fet a Trap, they catch Men. It will appear below, that a Church or People, is generally put under the Name of a Woman, or Wife; and the Cities, of Daughters; and those who worshiped a falfe God, reprefented by an adulterous Wife. So Prov. vi. 26. The Adulterefs will hunt for the precious Life. Ezek. xiii. 17. Likewife thou Son of Man fet thy Face against the Daughters of thy People, which prophefy out of their own Hearts; and prophefy thou against them, and fay, Thus faith the Lord God, Wo to the WOMEN that few Pillows to all Arm-holes (or Elbows) and make Kerchiefs upon the Head of every Statue, to hunt Souls: will ye bunt the Souls of my People, and will ye fave the Souls alive THAT COME unto you? Ver. 20. Wherefore thus faith the Lord God, Behold I AM against your Pillows wherewith ye there hunt the Souls to make THEM fly, (or INTO GArdens,) and I will tear them from your Arms, and will let the Souls go; EVEN the Souls that ye hunt to make THEM fly. So Nimrod was

a mighty