applied to them; I fhall only mention therefore a few of the most remarkable and most useful diftinctions among them.

IA, THE first divifion of equivocal words lets us know that fome are equivocal only in their found or pronunciation; others are equivocal only in writing; and others, both in writing and in found.

Words equivocal in found only, are fuch as thefe; the rein of a bridle, which hath the fame found with the reign of a king, or a fhower of rain, but all three have different letters, and diftinct fpelling. So might, or ftrength, is equivocal in found, but differs in writing from mite, a little animal, or a fmall piece of money. And the verb to write, has the fame found with wright a workman, right or equity, and rite or ceremony, but it is fpelled very differently from them all.

Words equivocal in writing only, are fuch as these; to tear to pieces has the fame spelling with a tear; to lead, or guide, has the fame letters as lead the metal; and a bowl for recreation, is written the fame way as a bowl for drinking; but the pronunciation of all thefe is different.

But those words, which are most commonly and justly called equivocal, are fuch as are both written and pronounced the fame way, and yet have different fenfes or ideas belonging to them; fuch are all the inftances which were given in the preceding section.

Among the words which are equivocal in found only, and not in writing, there is a large field for perfons who delight in jests, and puns, in riddles and quibbes, to fport themselves. This fort of words is also used by wanton perfons to convey lewd ideas, under the covert of expreffions capable of a chafte meaning, which are called double entendres, or when perfons fpeak falsehood with a defign to deceive, under the covert of truth. Though it must be confeffed, that all forts of equivocal words yield fufficient matter for fuch purpofes.

There are many cafes alfo, wherein an equivocal word is used for the fake of decency to cover a feul idea; for the most chafte and modeft, and well-bred

perfons, having sometimes a necessity to speak of the things of nature, convey their ideas in the most inoffenfive language by this means. And indeed, the mere poverty of all languages makes it neceffary to use equivocal words upon many occafions, as the common writings of men, and even the holy book of God sufficiently manifeft.

2dly, Equivocal words are ufually diftinguifhed, according to their original, into fuch, whofe various senses arife from mere chance or accident, and fuch as are made equivocal by defign; as the word bear fignifies a fhaggy beaft, and it fignifies alfo to bear or carry a burden; this feems to be the mere effect of chance; but if I call my dog, bear, because he is fhaggy, or call one of the northern conftellations by thatname, from a fancied fituation of the ftars in the fhape of that animal, then it is by defign that the word is made yet farther equivocal.

But because I think this common account of the fpring or origin of equivocal words is too flight and imperfect, I fhall referve this fubject to be treated of by itself, and proceed to the third divifion.

Virtue

3dly, Ambiguous, or equivocal words, are fuch as are fometimes taken in a large and general sense, and fometimes in a sense more strict and limited, and have different ideas affixed to them accordingly. Religion, or virtue, taken in a large fenfe, includes both our duty to God and our neighbour; but in a most strict, limited, and proper fenfe, virtue fignifies our duty towards men, and religion our duty to God. may yet be taken in the stricteft fenfe, and then it fignifies power or courage, which is the fenfe of it in fome places in the new Teftament. So grace, taken in a large fenfe means the favour of God, and all the spiritual bleflings that proceed from it, (which is a frequent fense of it in the bible) but in a limited fenfe it fignifies the habit of holiness wrought in us by divine favour, or a complex idea of the chriftian virtues. It may be also taken in the ftricteft fenfe; and thus it fignifies any fingle chriftian virtue, as in 2 Cor. viii. 6, 7. where it is used for liberality. So a city, in a strict and pro

per fense, means the houses inclosed within the walls; in a larger fenfe it reaches to all the suburbs.

This larger and stricter sense of a word is used in almost all the sciences, as well as in theology, and in common life. The word geography, taken in a strict fense, fignifies the knowledge of the circles of the earthly globe, and the fituation of the various parts of the earth; when it is taken in a little larger fenfe, it includes the knowledge of the feas alfo ; and in the largeft fenfe of all, it extends to the various customs, habits and governments of nations. When an aftronomer uses the word ftar in its proper and strict sense, it is applied only to the fixed ftars, but in a large fenfe, it includes the planets alfo.

This equivocal fenfe of words belongs alfo to many proper names: so Afia taken in the largeft fenfe, is one quarter of the world; in a more limited fenfe it fignifies Natolia, or the leffer Afia ; but in the strictest sense it means no more than one little province of Natolia, where ftood the cities of Ephefus, Smyrna, Sardis, &c. And this is the most frequent sense of it in the New Teftament. Flanders and Holland, in a ftrict sense, are but two fingle provinces among the feventeen, but in a large fenfe Holland includes feven of them, and Flanders ten.

There are alfo fome very common and little words in all languages, that are used in a more extenfive or more limited fenfe; fuch as all, every, whatsoever, &c. When the apoftle fays, all men have finned, and all men must die, all is taken in its most universal and extenfive fenfe, including all mankind, Rom. v. 12. When he appoints prayer to be made for all men, it appears by the following verfes, that he reftrains the word all to fignify chiefly all ranks and degrees of men, 1 Tim. ii. 1. But when St Paul fays, I please all men in all things, 1 Cor. x. 33. the word all is exceedingly limited, for it reaches no farther than that he pleafed all those men whom he converfed with, in all things that were lawful.

4thly, Equivocal words are in the fourth place diftinguished by their literal or figurative fenfe. Words are used in a proper or literal fenfe when they are de

figned to fignify thofe ideas for which they were originally made, or to which they are primarily and generally annexed; but they are ufed in a figurative or tropical fenfe, when they are made to fignify fome things, which only bear either a reference or a refemblance to the primary ideas of them. So when two princes contend by their armies, we fay they are at war in a proper fenfe; but when we fay there is a war betwixt the winds and the waves in a ftorm, this is called figurative, and the peculiar figure is a metaphor. So when the fcriptures fay, riches make themselves wings, and fly away as an eagle toward heaven, the wings and the flight of the eagle are proper expreffions; but when flight and wings are applied to riches, it is only by way of figure and metaphor. So when man is faid to repent, or laugh, or grieve, it is literally taken; but when God is faid to be grieved, to repent, or laugh, c. these are all figurative expreffions, borrowed from a resemblance to mankind. And when the words Job or Efther are used to fignify thefe very perfons, it is the literal fenfe of them; but when they fignify thofe two books of fcripture, this is a figurative fenfe. The names of Horace, Juvenal, and Milton, are used in the same manner, either for books or

men.

When a word, which originally fignifies any particular idea or object, is attributed to several other objects, not fo much by way of refemblance, but rather on the account of some evident reference or relation to the original idea, this is fometimes peculiarly called an analogical word; fo a found or healthy pulfe; a found digeftion; found fleep; are fo called, with reference to a found and healthy conftitution; but if you fpeak of found doctrine, or found fpeech, this is by way of resemblance to health, and the words are metaphorical: yet many times analogy and metaphor are used promifcuously in the fame fenfe and not diftinguished.

Here note, that the defign of metaphorical language and figures of fpeech is not merely to represent our ideas, but reprefent them with vivacity, fpirit, affec tion, and power; and though they often make a deep

er impreffion on the mind of the hearer, yet they do as often lead him into a mistake, if they are used at improper times and places. Therefore, where the defign of the fpeaker or writer is merely to explain, to inftruct, and to lead into the knowledge of naked truth, he ought, for the moft part, to use plain and proper words, if the language affords them, and not to deal much in figurative fpeech. But this fort of terms is ufed very profitably by poets and orators, whose business is to move, and perfuade, and work on the paffions as well as on the understanding. Figures are also happily employed in proverbial moral fayings by the wifeft and the beft of men, to imprefs them deeper on the memory by fenfible images; and they are often used for other valuable purpofes in the facred writings.

5thly, I might adjoin another fort of equivocal words; as there are fome which have a different meaning in common language, from what they have in the fciences; the word paffion fignifies the receiving any action in a large philofophical fenfe; in a more limited philofophical fenfe, it fignifies any of the affections of human nature, as iove, fear, joy, forrów, &c. But the common people confine it only to anger. So the word fimple philofophically fignifies fingle, but vulgarly it is used for foolish.

6thly, Other equivocal words are used fometimes in an abfolute fenfe, as when God is called perfect, which allows of no defect: and sometimes in a comparative fenfe, as good men are oftentimes called perfect in fcripture, in comparison of those who are much inferior to them in knowledge or holinefs: but I have dwelt rather too long upon this subject already, therefore I add no more.