METAPHORS FRoM THE VINE, &c. Book I, Zech. iv. ·what are called the two Olives, Verfe 3, I 1, 12. are faid to be the twa Sons of Oil, fo the Hebrew, Verfe 14, that is, two Olives, plentiful, fat, havino as ic were a Spring of Oil, continually flowing. This Metaphor fignifits the perp~ual Supplies of fpiritual Gifts to the Church through Chrift, who was beyond Meafurc anointed with the Oil of G/adnefs, Pfal. xlv. 7· from whom Believers have this Unction, 1 John ii. 20, 27. But this was fpoken tO in the Chapter of Anthropopathy. Rom. xi. 17. The Church of Ifrael is called an Olive eminent for Fatnefs, whofe Root Abraham may be faid to be, with Refpeft to the Covenant God entered into with him, and the Promife bf a bldfed Seed, Divine BenediEtion, and eternal Life made to his believing Pof'cerity, (that is, his Sons by Faith, who bdieve as he did, fuch be!ng only the Sons of Abraham) whether Jews or Genttles, Gal. 111. 29. Thts be1ng ooferved, it is eafy for any one to underfland why the Gmti/es are compared to a wild Oliu, and what this ingrafting into the Olive, is; and the partaking of its Root and Fatnefs, (that is, the Fatnefs proceeding from the Root, and dilfufed to the Branches, by the Figure f-Jendiadys) as alfo the cutting olf of the Branches. Rev. xi. 4· The twoWitneffes raifed by God (by whom thofe fincere few Teachers of the Church, in the Midf'c of the Antichriftian Tyranny and Fury preferved by God, are underftood, expreffed by the number 'I'wo becaufe in the Mouth of two or three Witne.ffes jhall every 'I'ruth be eflablijhed, Deut. xix. 15. 2 Cor. xiii. 1.) are called two Ofi.ves and two Candleflicks ftaudiug before the God of the Earth. In the former Metaphor we are to under(land the Confolation of the Word of God given by the Holy Spirit the Oil of Gladnefs, as alfo Fruitfulnefs in good Works, as the Olive is a moll fruitful Tree; and Conjlancy and Perfeverance in the Faith under Perfecutions, as the Leaves of the Olive do not wither, but are always green, and the Wood of the Olive-tree never rots throuah Age: ln the latter Metaphor Divine Illumination from the Word of God is underflood; that this is taken from the fore-cited Place of Zech. iv. is evident. OIL, The Fmit of the faid Tree, is much valued, and much ufed amongf'c all Sorts of People and Nations. ln Scripwre-Metaphors, fometimes it denotes an Abundance of pleafant and acceptable Things, Deut. xxxii. •3· Job xxix. 6. Sometimes Joy and Refrelhment of Mind, if confidered with Refpeft to the anointing, Ifa. xxiii. 5· Pjal. xcii. IO. and cxli. 5· Caul. i. 3· Ifa.lxi. 3· The Reafon of theJWetaphor is taken from the Fragrancy and Wholfomenefs of this Fruit. From hence we may in a Manner give a Reafon for the Name of Chrif'c and Chrillians, it being derived from the Unction or Anointing of the Holy Spi rit, which is compared tO Oil. Ifa. x. 2 7· There is mention made of Oil. And itjhall come to pafs on that Day, that his Burdenjhall be removed from off thy Shoulder, and his Yoke from off thy Neck, and the Yoke jhall be deflroyed from the Face of Oil, or from before the Oil-Which the Chaldee expounds of the Mef!iah, Junius and 'I'remellius follow that Expo!ition: Propter Oleum, becaufe of the Oil (or Anointing) that is, thou lhalt be delivered by Chrif'c, or for the S"ke of ChriO:, in whom ref'cs the Spirit of Jehovah, who anointed him, Chap. lxi. I . The Caufe of that Deliverance and Vengeance is intimated, viz. The Promife fame– times made to this People, of fending Chrif'c to them, who is fignified by the word Oil, becaufe he was to be anointed with the Oil of Gladnejs above his Fellows, &c. Metaphors from the Vine, &c. A VINEYARD, the Place where Vines are planted, in a continued Metaphor and Parable fignifies the Church as well of the Old as New Teflament, Cant. viii. 1 I, n. Ifa. iii. I4. and v. 1, &c. Ifa. xxvii. 2, 3• 6. Matt. xx. 1, &c. of which plea– fan! Similitude many have writ much. The quiet or free Plantation of Vineyards ex– hibits the Notion of fpiritual Peace in the Kingdom of Chrill:, Ifa. lxv. 21, 22. See Deut. xxviii. 30, 39· 1 Kings iv. 25. Micah iv. 4, &c. A VINE fometimes fignifies Good, fometimes Evil. Exa(llples of the former are to be read, Pjal. lxxx. 9• &c. Ifa. v. 2, 7: Jer. ii. 2 I. where the People of ljrael . introduced into the Land of Canaan, rece1ved as the People of God that they may ferve him conltantly in Righteoufnefs and Piety, is underflood. But this becomes de– '>tnerate, oflending God with foul Idolatry and Impiety; all VI hich by the Metaphor ~f a Vine, well planted, but much corrupted, is cxpreffed in the two !aft Pl"ces. lt
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