OF AN I R 0 N Y. Book I. inrimares the Good and SalvatioH of the Woman and all Believers, for we are hereby eminently informed by Way of iweet Confi>lation of the Certainty of Divine Help, though it be for a white delayed by Crolk~ aml Calamities, as appears by that trying Silence of Chrift, Verfe23- viz. But he alfjwered her 1101 a Word, upon which Cliry– Joftom fays,., The Lord brew th•t here was a hidden Jewtl, which he would not conceal from m, but delayed his Anfwer, that the Woman's Sedulity or Diligence might be– come an Example, and Dotl:rine to Pofl:erity, &c, 2. Some Things are dilfemblingly and hypocritically fpoken (and fometimes with a bit-· ter Sarcafm) which are true in themfdves, but not conformable to the Mind of the Speaker, as Geu. xxvii. '9· 'Jofeph's Brethren Jaid one to aiWther, Behold this Ma.fter of Dreams cometh,. &e. S<Jch indeed Jofepb was, for Verfe 5· he gave Informa– tion of Things to come, and had the Gift of interprering others Dreams, as Chapters xl. and xli. but his Brethren· did not fo repute him, but call him fo in a Way of Mockery and Derifi:on.. 2 Sam. vi. zo. Micha! faid to·David her Hufb:md, Howglori~us was the King oflfraef to Day, &c. David was truly glorious in that facred Gdture and Art, as he himfdf Jays, Verfe 21, 22 . but to 1\er it feemed to be Lightnefs and Scurrility, void ofroy~l Gravity, for it is faid, Verfe 16. thar fhe defpifed him in her Heart. Pfal. xxii. 8. He trufted in the Lord that he would deliver him, let him deliver him, feeing he delighted in him. Thefe Th;ngs were molt true in themftlves, bm in the·Opinion of thofe Mockers fal!e, who by this bitter Sarcafm denied Chrifl: hanging on the Crofs, as Jl.1atth. xxvii.43· See Ija. v. 19. Matth. xxii. 16. The Difciples of the Pharifees being fent to Cbrtlf fay, Maflcr we know that thcu art true, and ttacheflth• Way of God in:<fruth, neither cartjJ th'u for any Mall: For thiJU regardefl not the Perfon ofMen. Thefe Words were true of our O>avior Chrifr, but not conformat>le to the Mind of the Pharifees, who fpoke by Way of Snare and Irony, aS< Luke xx. 20. appears. See klattb. xxvii. 29, 40, 42, 43· Mark xv. ~k . 3· Some Things manifejJry falfe, and fpokeo with an Intention to deceive, by fuch as knew it to be otherwife, are fet forth by Way oft Hifrory and N arration, as Gen. iii. 4· And the Serpent (that is the Devil in the Serpent) faid unto the Woman, Ye Jhall not furely die, for Verfe 5· God doth know, that in the Day ye eat thereof, then yur Eyes Jhall be opened, and ye foal/ be as Gods, knowing Good and Evil. 1 his the Father of Lies knew to be quite orherwife, but would by that Falfhood circumvent and deceive Eve. By the opening of their Eyes, which he by a Fallacy promifcs, is intimated the Acutenefs of the Mind and Underfranding, in Comparifon of which the former con– created Wildom may feem to be Blindnefs. Thus the Deceiver plays his Game to the Defrruction ofAdam and his Pofl:erity, had not immenfe G1ace frepped in to pre– vent it. Mattb. ii. 8. He~·od fays to the Wife Men, Go and Jearch diligently for theyoung Child, and when ye have found him, bring me Word again, that I may come and woPjhip him alfo. His Intention was to defl:roy the Child Jefus, which, by the inhuman and execrable Malfacre of the Children afterwards, is evident; but by this Irony and Hypo'crify, he would delude the Wife Men. La!Hy,. There are fome Things where there feems to be an Irony, but when the Thing is· more exaclly confidered, there is none, as 'jer. iv. r6. '!'be Watchers (or Keepers) come from a far Country, &c. Some think that by a Watchman, or Keepers (by an Antiphrf'/is or Irony) we are to underfl:and Deftroyers. But in Truth the Raby– limians are to be underfrood, who for their own Safety and Profit were vVatchcrs, lying in wait about the Fields, lefr any 'Thing fhould efcape away, or get from them, as Hunters who watch every Place of Egrefs out of a Wood, IeO: the Beafrs they hunt lhould efcape into the open Fields, as Vcrle 17. ~ 'liour. 44-• ;n Gen. Ezek.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=