Part I. METAPHORS FROM WATER. 121 Life eternal is called Fountains and Springs of living Watm is plain from !fa. xlix. Io. Rev. vii. I 7· and xxi. 6, &c. . ... . More efpecially the Fountain of \1\Tater of. Siloab IS memorable, !fa. VIII. 6. '~l11ch is called the Dragpn or Serpent's fVe!l, Neh . ll. I3· from ItS flow Stream and v\ lild– ings like a Serpenr, whofe ?cream made a P_oo!, lVeh. iii. 15. callel~ Y..oA:.~[J-{3fi0ea. nu L_'.~wa.p. ']'he Pool of Siloam, John IX. r 1. From rim Well a Mftaphor IS taken, lfa: vt!l. 6. Forafinuch as tbis People defpifeth the Waters of Siloah that go foftly , &c. by wluch fome underil:and Divine Promifes given to the J ewrftl People of a fure Defence and ProreC\ron aaainil: their Enemies, in which the Jews having no Confidence or Arquicfcence, be– t~ke themfelves to the ProteClion of foreign Arms. Others by the Waters of Siloah underftand the Kingdom of Sion inftirured or appointed by God, which was but fmall and weak in Comparifon of the Kingdoms of Syria and lfrael, as the Fountain glided with an eafy and filent Current. The Chaldee, Forafmuch as this Peopledejpife the King– dom of the Houfe of David leading them quietly, as Siloah jlows quietly, &c. Of this Fountain Jerome in his Comment fays, that Siloah is a Fountain at the Bottom of the Hill Sion, which bubbles our nor with continual Springs, but at uncerrain Hours and Days, pafling through the Concaves of the Earrh and Dens of hard Stone, with much Noife, wc efpecially that dwell in rh is Province cannot doubt. The Fountain Siloah by another Name is called 11n•J Cihon, I Kings i. 33, 38. as appears by the Chaldee Paraphrafe upon the Place, which turns it Nn?•v Siloab. It is called Gihou from breaking or burfl:ing our, hence called aBn;ok overflowing, 2 Cron. xxxii. 4· it is alfo ohfervaole that Solomon, David's Son was anointed King of lji"ael by this Fountain, fo that there i:; Reafon for the Allufion, that by this Well is meant the Kingdom of the Houfe of David. · Brentius upon the Place fays, metaphor!! hujus fontis familiam Davidis intelligit, idqui' admodum apte. Nam Siloah, &c. By tbe Metaphor of tbis Fountain, he tmderflands the Family of David, and that in a Manner aptly; for Siloah though it comes with a great Sotmd, yet it flows not always but at certain Days and Hours: And wken it bubbles forth, it overflows 11ot the whole Land, it dejtroys not the Fields, but keeps itfelf in the concaves or hollow Places of the Earth, without Danger to any, but flows almofl hiddenly: So as the Family of David which for the Government of the Kingdom of J udah was Jantli· fied by Cod. And although there be a great Unlikenefs between tbe Kings of J udah, one being more merciful, more clement, and more godly than another, )'Cl they were tolerable Kings, neither were they hitherto overgrievous to the People, but bebaved themfelves in the Adminiftration of tbe Government modejtly and temperately. Yet the common People in Cities and Country defirous of Novelty, would rather have flrrmge Kings, though Enemies, than the poor Family of David whicb was ordained by Cod himfelf to rule that People, &c. It appears in that War, that fume would gladly have been difengagcd from Dan– ger, and others refolved to repel it any W2y; but the Commonalty, efpecially the Hufbandmen, of Judah would have the Family ofDaviddethroned, and that the King of Ifrael or the King of ~yria lhould rule, &c. Again!l: there lfaiah lharply inveighs, and prophelies that the Time will come, that becaufe they would not be contented to live with Satisfaction under the peaceable Reign of their own Kings, they fl10uld be expofed to endure the Storms and bear the Scourge of tyrannical, great, andturbulent Enemies. To this Interpretation R. Kimchi, Vatablus aad Jerome agree. A WELL, 1N'J. is fometimes taken in a good Senfe, as Prov. v. I 5, I6, I 7, \8· Drink Waters out of thine own Ciflern, and running Water out of thine own Well. L et thy Fotmtains be difperfed abroad, and Rivers of Waters in the Streets, let them be to thee only (fo the H ebrew) and not to Strangers with thee; let thy Fountain be blejfed. This con– tmued Metaphor refpeCl:s Wedlock and its lawful Fami liarity, Aben Ezra thus expounds it-'l'he Senfe is, that we mufl keep to our own proper Wife, and to no other befides her, and by Fountains difperfed abroad a JV!ultitude of Childrm is noted-Munflerus, the He– brews expound it, forfake a Stranger, and adhere to thy own Wife, then lhall thy Fountains multiply abroad, that is, thy Children with Honor fhall appear in Public : For they lhall be thine own, whereas if thou goe!l: to another thy Children will be Bail:ards, &c. Others expound this Text of two DoCt rines propofed to a pious Man. Firil: that he lhould make good Ufe of his proper Goods, and by the Bleffings of God will augment them, Verfc J 5, r6, 17, r8. I i Secondly
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