METAPHORS FROM CORN. Book I. cafl: into the Fire, as Chrifl: fpeaks of the Harvefl: of the lafl: or eternal Judgment, Matt. xiii, 39· &c. In the lafl: Place the Godly are (as it were) placed in a Garner fit for Ufe, &c. Befides what is fpoken of Harvefl denotes the Benefit of Freedom, (or Deliver– ance) ]er. viii. 20. '.The Harvefl is pafl, the Summe~· is mded, and we are not faved, that is, all the Benefits of the hoped-for Salvation and Help fail us, and we confequenrlv peri!h. For Joy is commonly figured in Scripture, by Harvefl and Vintage which is at the End of Summer, Pfal. iv. 7· !fa. ix. 3· In both thofe Times, (viz. of the receivin~ Corn and Wine) there is Matter of Joy eo Men. 0 The Miniflers and Preachers of thevVord of God, are metaphorically called by Chri!l: Harvefl-Men or Reapers, in this fpiritual Harvefr, which is the Gathering of the Church, John iv. 36, 37, 38. where there is an eminent Comparifon of thofe which Jow and thofe which reap, &c. where by.( Sowers) he underfrands the Prophets of rhe Old Teftament; and by Reapers the /lpoflles he fent in Gofpel-times. The Prophets promul~ared the Promifes of Chrift's being to come, and fo, as it were did throw the Seeds of univerfal Gofpel-preaching. The Patriarchs and Prophets weeded, and clear– ed the Field of God, of Thorns and Briars of Idolatry by the Preaching of the Law, as before, &c. M att. ix. 37, 38. Luke x. 2. The Miniflers of the Word are called •er"1"' Laborers in this fpiritual Harvefr. In which Places we are taught the great Neceffity of aMi– niftry in the Church, as well as of Laborers to fave and gather the Harvefr-fruit. '.THRESHING in Scripture metaphorically denotes Punilhment and Calamity, Ifa. xxi. 10. 0 my '.Threjhing and the Son of my Floor; we render it Corn of my Floor; fo by an /lpoflrophe he calls the People of God, who were grievoufiy aflliCled in Baby/on, and as it were thrdhed and winnowed upon a Floor, tillleparated from its Chaff and Hulks. See Jer.li. 33· /lmos i. 3· Micah iv. '3· Hab. iii. 12. Judg. viii. 7· Ifa. xxviii. 27, 28. Cl-1/!FF and STUBBLEwhich is feparated from the Corn by Threlhing, Winnowing or Sifting, lignifies-the DefrruClion of the Wicked, Obad. Verfe 18. Mal. iv. 1. Matt. iii. r z. L uke iii. 1 7· It denotes falfe DoB:rine, 1 Cor. iii. 12. with which may be com– pared, Jer. xxiii. 28. See Pfal. i. 3, 4· and lxxxiii. 13, '4· Ifa. xvii. 13. and xli. 2, Jer. xiii. 24. Hof x1ii. 3· Z eph. ii. 2, &c. WINNOWING denotes the fcattering of Enemies, as Chaff is blown away from the Grain when winnowed, Jer. li. 2. and xv. 7· alfo the Separatio11ofthe Godly from the Reprobate, M att. iii. 12. in which allegorical Speech by "'~'~' the Floor, we are to underftand the Church of Chrift, fcattered through Judea and the whole World; by n1vov, the Fan, the Means by which Chrift feparates Believers from H ypocrites and wicked Men, which Means are the Preaching of the Gofpel, the Crofs and Tribulation, and laftly eternal]udgment; by the Purging of his Floor, the very .'\et of Separating; by Wheat, Believers; by Chaff, Reprobates ; by the Garner or Barn, the Kingdom of Heaven and eternal Life: And byunquenchable Fire, hellilh and eternal Punilhment, &c. SIFTING denotes diabolical Temptation, Luke xxii. 3t. The Grain thereby is jum– bled and agitated, .dmos ix. 9· and fome get or drop through and are loft among the Chaff and Dufl:-Thus Satan would confound the Difciples of Chrift, lhake off the!t Faith, and by his Temptations pluck them away from Chrift. And as Sifting i•. a M eans to cleanfe the Corn : So Chrift by thefe Trials and Afllic:tions purges his D•f– ciples, as Grain is cleared from Chaff, and mofr wifely converts thofe malignant Art!· fices of the Devil unto Good, &c. GRINDING by which Grain is bruifed, broken fmall, and reduced into Meal fit to be made into Bread, IJa. xlvii. 2. is uied to defcribe moft hard Servitude and Cap– tivity- 'l'ake the Millflones and grind Me /- in the eafrern Countries it was counted a• great a Slavery or Servitude to be commit ed to the Mill, or Bakehoufes, as Men elleem it now to be committed to the Gallies. (See Exod. xi. 5· Judg. xvi. 2 1.) by this Speech the Prophet would lignify, that that Queen of Baby/on, the Miftrefs of Kingdo{lls, that is, tender and delicate, lhall be obnoxious to mofr abject Servimde, and that there will come an extreme Change of her Splendor, &c. Job
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