38o Chap. 39, an Expofction upon the Book of 1 o B. Verf, 12. or our perfonal advantage, yet we may have an eye to ir, as baler had in his holy fufferings and fervices, to the recompence ofreward: yea, and take iccouragement from the Lords bounty, tobe more in duty, more in charity, evenuntobounty. We may confider the harvea while we are diligent: infowing,.yea, tomake us more di- ligent in lowing.. Having thus opened the feverai properties of this creature, here called the Vnicorn, properly taken, and given out fome me- ditations upon them, it will not be (I conceive) either unufeful or unacceptable to the Reader, if for the conclufion of the whole matter inhand, I.fhew how the holy Scriptures, together with fotne of the Ancients, make ufe of this creature, tropically, or in a figure, to refembleand reprefent, Fin% The irate of the Church and people of. God. Thus ofès reports Balaaw fhadowingthe power and bleffednefs of Ifrael,whenhe came and was hired to curfe them(Numb,2 3.22.) God (faith he) brought them (that is, the children of Ifrael) out of Egypt ; he hath,as it were, the firength of an Vnicorn, Mol} expound the word, He, colleetively,concerning that whole peo- ple, as one body ; He, that is, Ifrael,hathas it were, thefirength of an Vnicorn:; that is, he is exceeding thong. Some expound it of God He, that is, God, who brought them out of Egypt, the mighty God of Jacob, bath, as it were, the firength of an Unicorn, God is indeed infinitely f'rong, i ronger than the Uni- corn, That which is molt eminent in anycreature, or for which Any creature is moll: eminent, the Scripture often aCcribes in a way of fuper- eminency unto God. The Lord hath firength like the ftrongePr and how firona foever he is, he is flrong for his ffrsrel, yea, he is the flrength of hisIfrael. So that if we take the word in this latter fence, it reaches the fame thing, fecting forth the power and firength of Ifael, by the firength of the Unicorn; for the Lord, who is their firength, will make them firong like Unicorns. Balaam fpake thus again (Numb. 24.8.) God brought him (all Ifrael as oneman) out of Egypt ; he bathas it were, the f rengeh of an Vnicorn, he (hall eat up the Nations his enemies,and Mall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows. Thus alto .ri?ofes fpake or prophecyed of the Tribe of Jofeph Veut,, 33. t 7.) His glory is like thepilling of his Bullock, and his horns are like the horns of Vnicorn, with them fhall hepulls the people
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=