MET A PH 0 R S FRoM: HuMAN ADJUNCT&. Book I ARMSare tranOated by a notable Emphafis to denote the fpiritual_Fight or Struggling of a p1ous Soul agamlt Szn and 'l'emptatto>~, Rom. v1. I9· and XIII. I2. 2 Cor. vi. 7· and x. 4· I Pet. iv. I. Of which the Apoltle treats malt elegantly, Eph. vi. upon which, fee Mr. Gurnal, who hath wellhandlcd that Subject. The Devil is faid to be a flrong Man armed, Luke xi. 2 I. that is, well provided wieh Craft, Guile, and Subtlety, to over-reach and overcome a Soul. A SWORD denotes, r. A Thing hurtful, becaufe it is cutting, and fo betokens malt bitter Griefs, Pfal. xxii. 20. Luke ii. 35· Hence it is faid of an ill-JPeaking and virulent 'l'o11gue, Pfal. lv. 21. lvii. 4· and lix. 7· Job v. I5. See Pfal. lxiv. 3, &c. To put a Knife to the 'l'hroat, denotes extreme Peril, Prov. xxiii. 2. 2. It denotes a Thing very penetrating, and efficacious, Pfal. cxlix. 6. Micah v. 5· Eph. vi. I7· It is faid of che vVord of God chat ic isjharper than a two-edged Sword, Heb. iv. I2. Gladio ancipiti TOf""'T'1'W, fcindendo penetrabilius ejfe, which denotes its piercing Efficacy, to reach the Heart, when fee home by the Spirit. See Ifa. xlix. 2. Rev. i. I6. and ii. I2, I6, &c. A BOW and ARROWS, fignify the fame Thing, that is, are put for an ill-JPeaking and lying Tongue, Pfal. lxiv. 3· and cxx. 4· ']er. ix. 3·. An Arrow flying by Day, denotes any fudden or invading Danger, Pfal. xci. 5· How attributed to God, we have fhewn in the Chapter of an Anthropopathy, Page 70. A §J..,UfvER, wherein Arrows are kept, is put for a Family wherein Children arc well educated; Pfal. cxxvii. 5· (See Verfe 3, 4· and Pjal. viii. 2. Matt. ix. 38. Ifa. xli. I6. Pfal. xlv. 5· Ifa. xlix. 2.) the Chaldee renders it, It is good for that Man that fills his· School with them. A SHIELD is put for Princes, Pfal. xlvii. 9· Ho[. iv. I8. who defend their Subjects ns a Shield does the Body. Paul calls the Word of God, the Shield of Faith, Eph. vi. I6. which t 1 uenches all the fiery Darts of the wicked One, becaufe when received in Faith, it defends a Soul from all the Temptations of the Devil, which are as Dares, that would obfl:ruct its .Paffage to Heaven, fee Gurnal as before. See I 'l'heJJ. v. 8, &c. Elifha and Elijah, arc called the Chariots and the Horfcmen of Ifrael, 2 Kings ii. 12. and xiii. '4· that is, their principal Strength, as Chariots and Horfemen are in War, &c.. A S'l'AFF, becaufe it is the Supporter of a weak or lame Man, denotes Help and Support, 2 Kings xviii. 2 I . Pfal. xviii. 18. Hence the Staff of Bread, Water, &c. is put for Meat and Drink by which the Life of Man is fupported and refrefhed, Lev. xxvi. 26. Pfal. cv. 16. lja. iii. 1. Ezek. v. I6. and xiv. 13, &c. Hence Bread is faid to jupport (in our Verfion, ftrengthen) the Heart of Man, as a Staff does the Body ; that is, comforts and refrelhes him. Hence alfo 1)10 fulcire, to prop, is put for tating, 1 Kings xiii. 7, &c. On the contrary a Staff is a Symbol of Meann<;fs and Poverty, as in the Prayer o( Jacob, Gen. xxxii. 10. With my Staff I paJ!ed over this Jordan, that is, weak and poor, the Metaphor being taken from fuch as are taken Captives in War, and defpoiled of all their Arms, and are difmilfed with a Staff. Bccaufe a Staff is an Infl:rument whereby Men ufe to beat, it is put for 'I)"rmmy, Cruelty and fevere Government, Prov . x. 13. xxii. 8. and xxvi. 3· 2 Sam. vii. I4Pfal. lxxxix. 32. Ifa. x. 5, 24. and xiv. 5· A PRIZE is- put for the Reward of the Godly; the Metaphor being taken from fuch as win a Race, or overcome any Challenger or Adverfary that contended with them at any Exercife, I Cor. ix. 24· Phi!. iii. 14. For the Exercifo of Fai;h and Piety is compared to a Race or Strife, I Cor. ix. 24, 25, 26. Gal. v. 7· Heb. xii. I, &c. Col. ii. 18. ""T"Pe"~'""'' fignifies to defraud of that Reward- the Metaphor is taken from the Cufl:om of Heatheus, who in thc~r Games and public Exercifes of W re!tling and the like, had fame that ufed to fie as Umpires to give to them, that did beft, the Reward
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=