Part I. METAPHORS FROM THING s GROWING ouT OF THE EARTH. I 33 The Greemtefs of Leaves is called a Buddingor Germination, which Word (viz.* nl.:l:>) is by a Metaphor brought to fignify, fomerimes natural Things, as the Hairs of the Head and Beard, LC'V. xiii. 37· 2 Sam. x. 5· Judg. xvi. 22. Ezek. xvi. 7· xliii. I9. and )xi. l 1• The Word jlo:trijhing, reviving, or more properly growing green again, is ele· aantly tranfiated, Phi!. iv. IO. to lignify the Mind of Man ftirred up by Love and Benevolence to do good.. On the contrary, to be dried up or withered is put for Death or being taken away, Joel 1. 12. A FLOWER denotes Profperity, !fa. v. 24. See Job xv. 33· and xxx. I2. But becaufe a Flower is ealily cut down, and withered, it is put for any Thing that is frail, uncertain, or tranlitory, lfa. xxviii. I, 4·. Pfal. ciii. I5, 16. Jam. i. 10, I I. I Pet. i. 24. Ifa.x!. 6, 7, 8. To FLOURISH, is put fora pro(perous State of Men, Pfal. lxxxxii. 7, 12, '3· and cxxxii. I8. Prov. xiv. I 1. Ifa. xxvii. 6. Hof xiv. 8. See alfo Ifo.ixvi. 14. Ezek. xvii. 24. What is faid Ezek. vii. IO. '!'he Rod bath blojfomed, Pride bath budded, is underftood by moft Interpreters of the King of the Ajjjrians, now growing to the Height of his Empire and Authority, and preparing to beliege Jerufalem. The Chat. dee, '!'he Empire jlourijhes, and the Wicked is got up. But Junius and 'J'remellius refer it to the People of lfrael, tranfiating it thus, that Tribe Aouri01ipg did bud out Pride, for i'iil/D fignifies both a Rod and a 'I'ribetojlourifh is alfo ufed of Ulcers and Leprofies, Exod. ix. 9, IO. Lev. xiii. 39, &c. FRUIT, the metaphorical Acceptation of this Word is well known, and obvious every where, viz. that it is put for the Confequent or Elfe{t of a Thing, whether for good or evil. It is put for the con(equent Reward of Godlinefs, Pfal. lviii. 11. Verily there is a Fruit for the Righteous (fo the Hebrew.) The Chaldee, Certainly there is a good Reward for the J u!t. So Ifa. iii. IO. Heb. xii. 1 I. Jam. iii. I 8. It is put for the Punijhment of !mpiety, Jer. vi. I 9· Behold I will bring Evil upmt this People, even the Fruit of their 'J'houghts, beca•fe they have 11ot hearkened unto my Words, nor to my Law, but rejeEted it. The Chaldee fays, the Retribution or Reward of their Works. Good or evil Works are alfo called Fruits, the good fo called, Matt. iii. 8. (fee Alls xxvi. 20.) Rom. vi. 22. Gal. v. 22. Eph. v. 9· Phi!. i. II. Bad Works, fo called Ifa. x. I 2. Jer. xxi. 14. Rom. vi. 21. The Reafon of the Metaphor, is, becaufe godly and wicked Men are compared to good and bad 'frees, of which the one bring forth good the other bad Fruit, Matt. iiL 1 o. and vii. I6. and the following Verfes, Chap. xii. 33· JudeVerfe I2. Hence the Verb to FRUC'I1Fr, is put for the Study of Piety and good ·works, Hof xiii. I5. Luke viii. I6. Rom. vii. 4· Col. i. 10. and inafrnuch as that is the Elfecl: of the Word of God, implanted by Faith in the Hearts of Men, thereforejrullifying is attributed to it, Col. i. 6. Hence the Apoftle Paul rays, Rom. i. 13· Now I would "ot have you ignorant, Brethren, that oftentimes I purpofed to come unto you (but was let hitherto) that I might have fome Fruit among you alfo (or inyou), &c. that is, that it may appear to me when prefent, to the Comfort of my Spirit, that the Gofpel is as fruitful among you, as others. As good Ma!l:ers repute that Fruit theirs, when their Difciples have commendably profited under their Teachings. On the contrary, to bring forth unto Death, is to be given up to Wickednefs, and perpetrate all evil Works, Rom. vii. 5· By anorher Metaphor the Word preached is called the Fruit of the Lips, lfa. lvii. '9· I create the Fruit of the Lips, the Chaldee the Speech of the Lips; as the Verb to fruc– tify is put for Speech, Prov. x. 31. Zech. ix. I 7· fo to be unfruiiful is attributed to (uch as want Faith, '!'it. iii. I 4· 2 Pet. i. I 8. to evil Works, Eph. v. I 1. to the Word of God, where it is not rightly received and kept, Matt. xiii. 22. Mark iv. '9· Hitherto we hove treated of fome Parts of fhings growing out of the Earth: Now we fiJall proceed. I. Generally. 2. Specia1 1y, of the reft, which we fhall reckon in Order. A PLAN'J' if attributed to God, his Church and Believers are to be under!l:ood, lfa. v. 7· lx. 21. ;md lxi. 3· Ezek. xxxiv. 29. Hence Matt. xv. I3 . Every Plant which • Di<i~ur proprie de terrd! 11afiattilms & plan/is. Mm my
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