,34 A F F L I CT I 0 NS G 0 D 's A R R 0 W S. Book IV. A F F L I C T I 0 N 8 G ·o D 's A R R 0 W 8. For the Arrows of the Almighty are within me, · &c. 'job vi. 4· He bath caufe{i the Arrows of his f»..uiver to enter into my Reins, Lam. iii. 13. AN Arrow is a deadly Engine, fo called in the Hebrew, frorp its Effect, Cutting or Wounding: T aken properly, it is an lnftrument out of a Bow of Wood or Iron, either for Sport or Fight; but figuratively, it fignifies divers T hings in the holy Scripture. t. The Word of God: 'fhine Arrows arejharp in the Heart of the King's E11emies; whereby. the People fall under thee, Pfal. xlv. 5· that is, thy W ords are fharp and piercing. 2. Bmer and reproachful Words : '!'hey bmd their Bows to jhoot their Arrows, even bitter Words, Pfal. lxiv. 3· and cxx. 4· 3· Any evil or mifchievous Purpofe which a Man intends or aims to hurt hi< Bro– ther: When he bwdeth his Bow tojhoot his Arrows, let them be as cut in Pieces, Pfal. lv1ii. 7· 4· Any kind of AfiliClion or Punifhment : And the Lord jhal! be feen over them, and his Arrows/hall go forth as Lightening, &c. Zecb. ix. 14. P A R A L L E L & I. ARROWS are fhot out of a Bow by fome Man; fomc Arm muft bend the Bow, and thoot the Arrow, or the Arrow moves not: So all AffliCtions come from God, who is the efficient Caufe of them; hence called the Arrows of the A/might)'· I I. Arrows fly fwift, and wound fuddenly : So AffliCtions come very fpced1ly often– times with a Glance, as an Arrow, quick as a Thought. Ill. Arrows come unexpeCtedly oftentimes, and wound a Man : So AffliCtions come many times upon a Perfon or People unexpeCtedly : When they cry Peace and Safety, then fudden Deflruflion comes upon them. IV. An Archer hath commonly manyArrows; his~iver is full ofthem: So God hath many Judgments ; we read of his ~liver too; he can fend one Arrow after another. 1. He hath the Pefiilcnce; this is one of his Arrows : 'fhoujhalt not be afraid for the '!'error by Night, nor for the Arrow that jlieth by Day, nor for the Peflilence that walketb in Darknefs, &c. Pfal. xci. 5· 2. He h,ath Famine ; this is another of his Arrows : Whm I jha!J fend upon them the Arrow of Famine, &c. Ezek. v. 16. 3· H e hath the Sword; this is another Arrow of the Almighty, and this Arrow God that at Job ; he brought upon him the Sabeans, who Oew his Servants with the Edge of the Sword, Job i. 15. . 4- He hath Thunder-bolts and Hail-!l:ones, which are alfo fame of the Arrows of his ~iver; and thefe are in readinefs againft the Day of Battle. ' . 5· The withdrawings of God from a Soul or People, are alfo part of the Arrows of his ~iver, and thefe go deepefi of all, they go to the very Heart: For thine Arrows flick f ajl in me, faith David, Pfal. xxxviii. 2. . V. ·Arrows fly fecretly, and make no Noife ; they are felt before they are feen: So many AffliCtions fly filently upon a Man, fiealing upon him, and wounding him unob– ferved and unfeen. VI. Arrows are fharp Things, and made fometimes more fharp than ordinary, as the Archer fees caufe : So AffliCtions are very tharp and bitter Things, and fometimes God makes them tharper than at another time. I will make mine Arrows drunk with Blood, Deut. xxxii. 42. Arrows are Inftruments drawing Blood, and fame Rebukes and J udg– menrs of God are like unto them. 'fhe Arrows of the Almighty are within me, the Poijo11 whereof drinketb up my Spirit, 'job vi. 4· ''job feems to allude to the Cuftom of thofe ' cruel Men, who, when they purfued the Enemies with deadly Hatred, and would ' wound them incurably, uled to dip the Heads of their Arrows, the Top of their Spears, 'and the Point of their Swords, &c. in Poifon, that fa every Wound might be Death. ' The Poifon of fuch Arrows, &c. drinks up the Spirit, and corrupts the Blood.' · 'job compares the Arrows God thot at him, not to ordinary Arrows, which kill only by piercing, but to poifoned Arrows, which kill by infecting: Afflictions, like Arrows, put a Man to great Pain. When a Man hath Terror without, and Terror w1thm, Terror coming from the Wrath of Man, and Terror coming from the Wrath of God; his Potion is bitter. Such Arrows are tharp,and tormenting. 2 Metaphors,
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