0 F A N A L L E G 0 R Y. Book I. ·titance, and the great Plenty and Fecundity thereof, but Verfe ID. !hews this to be a clear Prophecy of Shi/oh or the Mejfiah to come of the Tribe of ']udnh-, and furely the Patriarch from fo excellent a Subject would not Oip into the Mention of thofe vain, earthly Things-, and what he fays of the Rednejs of Eyes with Wine, it is reckoned among!l Wickednejfcs, P1·ev. xxiii. 24. oecaufe a Sign of Drunkennefs, which the Pa– triarch (who feverdy taxed his Son's Sins, Verfe 4, S·l wotild not reckon among his Bleffings. This is therefore an Allsgory, and is to this Effect expoundnd by the learned Bren– tius-. Binding his Foie to a Vine, this is a Defeription of Peace and Tranquillity in the Kingdom of ChriO:. See ]er. xxiii. 7· and Zech. iii. ID. for in Vlars, they do not bind Foles or AjJes to the Vines, when Men cannot dwell under their own Vine and Fig-tree, which are deO:roycd, which denotes the peaceable AdminiO:ration of Chrift in his Kingdom. See !fa. ix. 5· This is not to be underftood of external Tranquil– lity, but partly becaufe Chrift eftabli!hes his Kingdom without warlike Arms, by the Preaching of the Gofpel; and partly becaufe it brings Peace and Tranquillity of Con– fcience. He fhall wafh in Wine, this is a Defcription of Abundance, and the vile Efteem of worldly Things in the Kingdom ofChrift: But we are to underHand it of the Abun– dance of Jpiritual Things, as Remijjion of Sms, Righteoufnefs, &c. Matt. vi. 33· Pjaf. xlv. 2, &c. Some expound this of the Paj}ion of Chrift- ; The Vimyard of Chrift is his Church, 'Jja. v. 1. xxvii. z. and lxv. 2I. Matt. xx. 1. and Chrift is the Vine into which the Bran~hes are grafted, John xv. I, 4, 5· and the Meaning, fay they, is, Chrift com– pares his Church (becaufe of its Simplicity, Humility, and the Burdens of Trouble which it is forced to bear in the World) to an Afs, which he will feed with moO: 1\veet Grapes and fpiritual Joy, or inebriate it, that being rendered courageous, it fhould defpife Death, Devils, Hell, and Perfccutions-, and fo Chrift will wafh his Garment in Wine, and his Clotlm in the Blood of Grapes-, that is, will pour his moft precious Blood upon his Garments, viz. his Fle!h, which his Deity puts on as a Clothing, which will afterwards be excellent fpiritual Wine to comfort and refre01 the Faithful. His Eyes will be red with lf/ine, that is, in his Paffion, for then he had no Form no•· Come/inefs, !fa. liii. 2. viz. when whipped , fpit upon, and crowned with Thorns, and carried about in Difgrace by Pi/ate's Order-; fo he was deformed, for others Sins. But inafi11uch as in him was found no Spot, nor was Guile found in his Mouth, r Pet. ii. 22. His 'J'eeth are faid to be white with Milk, Verfe 12. Whitenefs lignifies Purity and Innocence, &c. See !fa. lxiii. 1, 2, 3, &c. Eccl. xii. There is an allegorical Defcription of old Age and Death, Verfe 2 . By the Darknefs of the Sun, Light, Moon, and Stars, the Langui!hing and Confumption of Vigor, Strength and Judgment IS denoted, Verfe 3· By the trembling of the Keepers of the Houfe, and the bowing of .firong Men, the Weaknefs of the Hands, Knees, and Arms is lignified (See !fa. xxxv. 3.) which are Keepers of the Body from Hurt. '!'he ceafing of the Grinders, becaufe few, denotes the Decay of the Teeth, or th6r being almoft gone. 7"be Darkening of thofe that look out at the Windows, betokens Dimnds of Sight, the Eyes being the Windows of the Body ; Verfe 4· 'l'he jhutting cf Doors in the Streets, betokens the Contra<'lion of the Lips, and Tirefomnds in Speech. '!'he Lownefs of the Sound of Grinding, lignifies Debility of Voice. Rijing at the Voice of the Bird, denotes Want of Sleep, for old Men fcarce Oeep half the Night, and are eafily awaked by the Cock's crowing. 'I' he bringing low of the Daughters of Mvjick, denotes Dulnefs of hearing, and that thofe Ears that could judge of Mufick, delight not in ir. (See 2 Sam. xix. 35.) Verfe 5· 'J'o be afraid ofbigb Places, lignifies Difficulty of going. 'l'he Flower of the Almo11d-tree .fha/1 jlourijh, that is, grey Hairs. 'l'he Grajhopper .fha/1 be a Burd<11, that is, the Back-bone !hall bend and grow weak, fo that it cannot bear any Burden. Defire Jhafl fail, that is, Appetite to Mear, and other Things, (2 Sam. xix. 35.) then follows a Defcription of Death, &c. Jn the Book of Canticles there are many continued Metaphors or Allegories that are very emphatical and ob!Cure, yet contain many deep My!leries. It being a Jpiritual Poem, letting forth the Love of Chrift to his Church, &c. about which the Reader is referred to our Englijh Expolitors. See other Allegories, Ija. xxviii. 20. Anzos iii. I 2. !fa. xxxviii. I2. ]er. xi. 6. ""d xii. 5, Ezek. xvi. 3• Hof. xi1i. 15. Zech. xiv. 3, 4, 5, &c. In the Old 'J'e.fiament you may find thefe Allegories belides, Deut. xxxii. I3, I5, 22, 32>33, 41, 42. and xxxiii, 19, zo, 24, 25. ]udg. viii. 2. and xiv, 18. ! Kingsxii. II,.I4· 2 Kmgs
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