Divine Eloquence: OR, AN ESSAY Upon the Tropes and Figures Contained in the Holy Scriptures; And reduced under The proper Titles of Rhetorick:

ALSO Several Texts of Scripture, which fall in with the Figures, are briefly in­terpreted; especially those that seem to favour the Papist or the Socinian.

LONDON, Printed by J. H. for Luke Meredith, at the Star in St. Paul's Church-yard, 1694.

A PREFACE TO THE READER.

WHAT, publish a Treatise without any Name, or so much as a Dedication? Prithee then, who will but it, says the Reader? Why, as to that matter, Sir, you may doe as you please; but give me also leave, to use my li­berty.

But, pray, Sir, what signifies any Name, at least, to a man of sence and understanding, who does not bor­row his opinion and judgment of any Book, only from the very Title-page? And if this Essay, I now present to your perusal, is any way valuable, [Page] it will then introduce and recommend it self, to your good opinion of it; and if' tis nothing worth, what Name or Character can ever justifie the Publication?

But now, Sir, upon this reservation of my name, you will have this one particular advantage; for now you can have no kind of prejudice or by­ass upon your thoughts; and so you cannot but pronounce more imparti­ally, upon the whole matter, and not according to the general custom, dis­commend, or approve, as you are dispos'd in your fancy, to entertain either a good, or a bad opinion of our Author; and so, I think, 'tis no dis­advantage to you, or to my self, whether you know my Name, or not; or whether I am D. D. or Esquire; such a one, or otherwise dignified or distinguished.

And now, as to the very business of a Dedication, I must very freely tell you, Sir, I am at present, as much out of humour with that also; [Page] for, according to the common style, 'tis nothing else but a great many fine words, to very little purpose; for what you read there in Commenda­tion of my Friend in the Country, or of the Right Honourable, my Lord, &c. has but the least relation to them; but if they themselves are so exceedingly vain, as to fansie their Pictures are very like them; 'tis only their private opinion.

I cannot deny, that I have a friend or two, as very Beau's, as any in the Town, and they have a Right and Title to a very just Commendation, for the Rhetorical Twirle of their long Perriwigs behind them, or for their most admirable use of their Snush-box, which is always so obli­ging, as to give my Sparks a pre­tence for a Sneeze, instead of an An­swer to that Question; but then, I am very much a Stranger to all their other vertues, and I am not Oratour enough to say any thing at first sight: and, after all, let me tell you Sir, 'tis [Page] no such easie matter neither, to make a fine Panegyrick upon Nothing.

But now, Sir, as to the Reasons of this Publication, I cannot in my excuse say, that I was at last prevail­ed upon by the violent Importunities of my Friends, whom I could not ve­ry civilly deny: or that upon the Communications of some Copies, I was very much afraid; one, or other, might send it to the Press; and so I was unwilling to give them that trou­ble: or lastly, as some Apology, for the incompetency of the very work it self; shall I inform you, Sir, that it was only the diversion of my idle hours; when I had nothing else to do? And would not this, think you, be a very civil Complement to the Reader's understanding; if what was here done for my own Recreation, only to pass away the time, I now should publish, for his Instruction; and so emprove his thoughts and meditati­ons: These, and many more, are the common excuses, our Authors often [Page] make use of, to insinuate, that they are very modest men; and that they could still doe much better, if they had taken but more time and leisure in their Composition; and this, they presume, is a sufficient Title to the Reader's Candor and more favoura­ble Opinion. But I can only tell my Reader, that after I made a Colle­ction of these Sacred Figures of Scri­pture, and ranged them into some kind of order, I very privately con­veyed this Scheam of Rhetorick into the Stationer's hands, and he seemed to fansie the Design; and now, this is the reason, why it comes into your hands; and, if'tis any way usefull, to any sort of Persons, I am very well satisfied. I could gather many more Flowers of Rhetorick, out of the same field▪ but these I made choice of, perhaps are sufficient to discover, that the Holy Scripture is no barren nor unfruitfull land; but that it abounds with all sorts of Tropes and Figures, and that it is [Page] the richest Treasury, containing the best, and most excellent forms of Rhetorick, of any book whatso­ever; that no Gentleman has any reason to be afraid of losing the Ele­gancy of his style, by a frequent Con­versation with the holy Scripture; which has its peculiar Graces and Beauties of Eloquence; and more e­specially, have not Job and Isaiah their lofty Flights of Fancy and Po­etry? which, to speak but very mo­destly, are not unequal to any in our profane Authors. I know, there are some of another opinion; but then, does not their immorality influence their mind? and does it not give such a different colour and a tincture to all their imaginations, that they can never have the same relish and sensation of sacred matters; and why should they entertain any honourable thoughts of that very Book, when all the precepts and institutions of it are such a mighty Contradiction to their life and practice? why should they [Page] esteem it worthy their perusal? when perhaps their meditations upon it, may be no small temptation, to re­ctifie their vile Opinions, and disturb their present Dreams of Happiness, and at last, reduce them to a Possibi­lity of Salvation.

Let others then still admire their heathen Rhetorick, let them still fansie the sacred Figures of Scripture not worthy their Consideration; yet, methinks, when I take a view of Scri­pture Rhetorick, and the Richness of her Eloquence, she seems to me, not unlike the King's daughter, who is all glorious within, her vesture is of gold, wrought about with divers co­lours, Psalm 45. 10, & 13.

And now perhaps this Essay upon the Tropes and Figures of Scripture, may still farther recommend it self, to your better opinion, from the very use, and benefit of Rhetorick, in ge­neral; and is it not absolutely ne­cessary, to convey to others, those sensible Notions or Idea's of things [Page] which are present to our minds? for Discourse is, or, at least, ought to be, nothing else, but the Representa­tion, and the very Picture of our thoughts; and what can more sen­sibly express them to the life, than when a Metaphor presents the ima­ges of the soul in such an elegant and comely dress? Besides, to give our Passions their truest air and feature, do they not require a very different garb, and another mode of expressi­on, than our other thoughts, which spring only from the cooler debates of reason, and argument? If you question this, I appeal only to the most natural Impressions of any Passions, and whether Nature her self disco­vers no sensible difference, when she expresses her self in a passionate way; as, suppose now, in a most vio­lent transport of Anger; and cannot you easily, by the very Face, discern what passes in the soul of a furious man. Observe the fire, the very spark­ling of his eyes, the wrinkles of his [Page] brow, the most sudden changes of his countenance, the mighty eagerness and the hesitation of his words; are not these the natural expressions of this angry Passion, which give us no­tice of the most disorderly motions of our spirits, and that the very stream of our thoughts are in a most violent and rapid motion; and therefore, to express this furious Passion to the ve­ry life; must there not be as great an alteration in all our words and phra­ses, as there is in our very Faces and Complexions? and this is enough to show, that this, and every Passion works very differently upon our minds, and requires different expressions and colours of speech, to give it a sen­sible representation.

Rhetorick then is a natural Lan­guage, and a necessary Ornament of Discourse; and many an honest Gentle­man now and then stumbles upon a Trope or a Figure, who was never acquainted with Mr. Butler or Farna­by; and much less with such profane [Page] Authours as Aristotle or Quinctili­an.

And are not Metaphors very fre­quent in holy Scriptures? The Pro­phets themselves seldom give us a description of the fury of God's dis­pleasure; but they give him arms, and hands, and describe God prepa­ring his mighty instruments of ruine, his lightning, and his thunder; and by such formidable representations, as these, they work more powerfully up­on our minds, and there create the deeper impressions of his almighty Power.

But if Rhetorical Figures are as common as necessary; must not that man be very ridiculous, who examines every thing in a strict and literal sence? What strange, what mighty in­consistent notions must they then con­ceive of God himself, or of his divine Attributes? What gross and very ab­surd Idea's of his infinite Power, if they should fansie God cannot accomplish the vengeance of his high displea­sure, [Page] without material organs, with­out arms and legs? Must not such a man transform himself into any shape of errour and delusion? if he pretends to maintain the doctrine of literal explications; must he not im­bibe the false opinion of every Sect, as often as their pernicious errours are sounded upon a literal sence and meaning? Thus the Quaker must be­come a Roman Catholick, because, according to his Principle, he must understand these words according to the very letter; this is my body; so must he believe the bread and wine to be substantially changed into the very body and blood of Christ; and so at the least eventually, if not designedly, he will maintain the most absurd doctrine of Transubstan­tiation; and truly, perhaps their in­ward light may prove as dangerous, and not so different from Infallibili­ty. But I do not charge them, as if literal expositions of Scripture, was their constant universal Principle: [Page] but if they expound any Text lite­rally, though never so absurd, and so contrary to other places of Scri­pture: they may as well explain o­thers in the very same manner, till at last they become nothing but mis­take and contradiction. And now, if they will needs understand this Text literally, Matt. 5. 34. Swear not at all; and not as if it was only a pro­hibition of rash and voluntary swear­ing in our common discourses; al­though St. Paul himself useth an oath for confirmation, Rom. 1. 9. For God is my witness, whom I serve, that without ceasing, I make menti­on of you always in my Prayers. And again, Gal. 1. 20. Now the things which I write unto you, be­hold, before God, I lye not. Nay, even God himself, when he could not swear by a greater, he swore by himself, Heb. 6. 13. This is enough to show, that the taking of an oath is not sinfull in its own nature; when St. Paul, and even God almighty [Page] makes use of an oath: and therefore, if the Quaker will still expound this Text according to the very letter, in contradiction to other Texts of ho­ly Scripture, and in direct opposition to the very practice of St. Paul, and even of God himself; he may, with as much reason, expound other Texts in the same manner; till he runs himself into the wildest absurdi­ties.

A great Master of Eloquence has long a go made the observation, That the Lawgiver of the Jews, meaning Moses, had a most incomparable no­tion of God's infinite power, when he describes the Almighty thus giving his Orders for the creation, and God says, [...], Let there be light, and there was light, as if there was no distinction between his pleasure, for the creation of any Being, and the actual formation of it: and is not the expression it self very stately, and full of majesty? for he only says, Let there be, and it [Page] was so. There are other expressions no less emphatical, representing God most infinite in power and operation, Isaiah 40. 12. Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meeted out the heaven with a span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in Scales, and the hills in a balance? As much as to say, I, the Lord, only have done this. And verse 17. All nations before him are as nothing, and to whom then will you liken me, saith the Lord? And, how does holy David break forth in a mighty admiration of his infinite power and greatness? Psalm 104. 1, 2, 3. O Lord, my God! Thou art very great, thou art cloathed with ho­nour and majesty; who coverest thy self with light, as with a gar­ment; who stretchest out the hea­vens, like a curtain; who layest the beams of his chamber in the waters; who maketh the clouds his chariot, [Page] comes flying upon the wings of the wind. What can better represent to us his most incredible swiftness? than when he thus describes God, not only flying, but even upon the very wings of the wind; which still gives a most sensible Idea of the quickest motion that is possible.

Psalm 50. 11, 12. How does God himself assert his own Supremacy o­ver all things? I know the fowles of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are mine; If I were hungry, I would not tell thee, for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.

Isaiah 5. 26. How does God pro­mise, that he will accomplish things most difficult, with the greatest ease and facility to himself? I will, says God, Lift up a sign unto the nations a far, I will hiss unto them, from the ends of the world, and, behold, they shall come with speed: God does not say, he will call them with the mighty voice of his thunder, [Page] but with the least kind of noise, as it were, with a whisper; and yet e­ven those that are in the most di­stant places, in the remotest corners of the earth, shall obey the power­full summons of his voice, and pre­sently come, and make their appea­rances: Here you have a descripti­on with no less elegancy, of the most unsearchable ways and councils of the great God; he made dark­ness his secret place, his Pavilion round about him were dark wa­ters, and thick clouds of the sky: and the methods of his providence are very unaccountable, and past our understanding; his ways are extream­ly private, in the dark, and in the deep waters, and his footsteps are not known.

But because some have the most se­vere, and rigid notions of God, shall I give you a tast of the sweetness of his love and kindness, Isai. 49. 15. Can a woman, says God, forget her sucking child? And the question [Page] is proposed, to assure us 'tis, at least, extreamly difficult, though not impos­sible, for a mother to break through the strongest ties and impressions of natural affection; yet even then, God himself assures us, though a woman may be so very barbarous, and so inhumane to the child of her womb; yet, that he himself, had more Bow­els, more affection, more tender compassions; and could never be un­mindfull of his children: nay, so great is his care, his sollicitous con­cernment for them, that in all their sufferings, God cannot but have the same sence of Pain and misery, and sympathize with them in all their af­flictions, says the Prophet, He was afflicted, Isai. 47. 7. Nay, to the ve­ry last degree of kindness and com­miseration; that no relation, how near soever, can have more; for like as a father hath compassion on his children, so the Lord hath pity on them that fear him. And Psal. 103. v. 13. if 'tis yet possible, to give a [Page] suller sense of his infinite love and affection to us, he assures us, that, if his Church is under the least kind of suffering, that he himself is ex­treamly sensible of it, even as the most tender part resents the smallest injury; They that touch you, touch the apple of my eye.

Psalm 7. 11, 12, 13. God is there represented, as a mighty man of war, preparing to engage his enemy; but yet, he is so indulgent, and mer­ciful, that he seems very unwilling to execute the fury of his wrath, but is still in expectation of our con­version, that we will at last sue for a peace, and repent, and obey him; but if he will not turn, says David, He will whet his sword, he hath bent his bow, and made it ready, he hath prepared for him the instruments of death.—

And is there not a greatness of spirit and majesty in this short de­finition God gives of himself? I am that I am hath sent me unto thee; [Page] that is, I am God unchangeable, the same yesterday, to day and for ever, 'tis I that send Moses.

And now perhaps these Texts of Scripture, without any more, are sus­ficient to discover, that the Scrip­ture is not written in so very low and plain a strain as some ignorantly imagine, and perhaps 'tis not the least recommendation of the inspired Writings; that no other book in all the world, can furnish our minds with more distinct and clearer Revelations of his Being, or his divine Attributes, no other book can so excellently de­scribe the power, the majesty, the infinte justice, the mercy, and good­ness of Almighty God. And now, if you are desirous to take a view of his wonders in the deep; how should man, without an express revelation from heaven, have been able, in the least, to discover the incomprehensi­ble Mystery of the Trinity? or how should he, upon the fall of Adam, have been ever capable to dive into the [Page] mysterious contrivance of our Re­demption? or acquaint himself with the reasons of Christ's Incarnation, his Death, and Passion, Resurrection and Ascension. And if you please to take into your serious consideration, the Divinity of its Doctrines, what a noble Scheme is the Christian Reli­gion of all moral vertues, such as a Seneca or a Plutarch never dreamt of; and what are all their Systems of Morality, in comparison of the Christian Institution? what Charity, what Forgiveness of Enemies, what Provocations to mutual Love, what tender Compassions to one another in distresses, and miseries, are we obli­ged to put in practice, upon every occasion? yea, what Purity in all our thoughts, what Innocence, what Sin­cerity in all our Intentions? these are all such mighty Perfections of moral Vertues as we can only learn from Scripture. Perhaps others may recom­mend the practice of Vertue, from common decency, and convenience, or [Page] from a temporal satisfaction attend­ing the exercise of it, but we derive our Obligations much higher; for if we had only hopes of being happy in this life, we were of all men the most miserable, for how does the Christi­an Religion extend our Prospect be­yond the grave? and give us those comfortable hopes of a Resurrection, and of eternal happiness hereafter, which the heathens did but guess at.

But perhaps the spirit and the in­imitable style of the Scripture may still more effectually recommend it to your perusal; and has it not, think you, a mighty force, power, and effi­cacy; when our Saviour began his Institution to the Christian Philoso­phy only with this very plain and na­ked Benediction, Blessed are the poor in spirit, and, Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness sake. Who can believe such kind of Blessings, such Invitations, to embrace the terms of the Gospel, should be so very pre­valent, and bring in such a numerous [Page] company of Proselytes, Jews and Gen­tiles? Who can believe that Christi­anity should advance, and make its way into the world against the oppo­sition of so much wit, and power, from such sort of encouragements? Thus the very difficulty of its moral Duties, and the discouragement of the Proposals, and the mighty plain­ness of its Principles, are so far from being in the least disadvantageous to the Christian Religion, that they are no small argument of its Divinity; it being impossible it should ever make such a progress in the world, unless it had been assisted by the power and the wisedom of God himself; and thus the divine Authority of its Ori­ginal commands our respect and reve­rence.

And after all; the Simplicity of the Scriptural Style, is not without Majesty. How plain, yet how mag­nificent is this expression? I am, that I am hath sent me, Exod. 3. 14.

And now, as to the Translation of [Page] the Bible it self; I will not deny, but as very many places are not with­out a gracefull, and elegant ornament of expression; so there are some other parts, less artificial, neither is this so very strange; since the original Lan­guages sometimes carry in them a na­tive Grace, and Emphasis, hardly ex­pressible in a Translation, at least, with the very same beautify and sig­nificancy of speech. And if our Translators, here and there, fall be­low the spirit and the dignity of the Original, they are very excusable, be­cause they were sometimes afraid to venture at a phrase or a fineness of a period; lest they should deviate more from the true sence and signi­fication of the Text; and, after all, you will discover some elegant Turns, and some Beauties of Rhetorick in the Translations, which do not so clearly shine out in the very Original, which I have purposely inserted sometimes, to let my Reader see, that if our Translators lose in one place, yet they gain in another.

[Page] As to my own part, I shall only tell you this; that I was extreamly pleased, when any Figure was lodg'd upon any Text of Scripture, that seem'd to favour and countenance any false doctrines, especially the Romish, or the Socinian, that I might take an occasion to make a little inroad into them, and recover them from the unkind and false imprisonment of the enemy: and when several other Texts of Scripture were in darkness, and obscurity, or under any difficulty, I have endeavour'd, to let in more light into them, by an easie explica­tion, or a short paraphrase upon the words; which perhaps were not al­ways so very plain, and obvious, at least, to every man's capacity and apprehension.

Sir, I will now trouble you no far­ther, but I hope, you will receive it kindly, as if in this Essay some things, at least were tolerable.

Farewell.

Divine Eloquence: OR, AN ESSAY Upon the Tropes & Figures Contained in the Holy Scriptures.

A TROPE.

A Trope is nothing else, but the change of a word, from its natu­ral Signification, into another, whereby the Idea of any thing is more sensible to us. Instance,

Matt. 4. 19. And I will make you Fish­ers of men: that is, Instruments of draw­ing and converting men unto God; and our Saviour useth the term by, way of [Page 2] allusion to them, that being their former Employ.

Psal. 65. 14. The valleys, says our Psal­mist, shall stand so thick with Corn, that they shall Laugh and Sing: that is, A ve­ry plentifull harvest is the occasion of joy and pleasantness; laughing or singing are the proper expressions of a gay and chear­full Spirit; and so those terms applied to other things by way of Analogy, represent to us the excessive joy and pleasure of Plenty.

Luke 13. 32. Go, and tell that Fox, meaning Herod, that crafty and politick Dissembler: and the application of the term, gives us a fuller notion of his Hy­pocrisie.

I shall here set down only three Affe­ctions belonging to a Trope, leaving the fourth, to those who are more industrious to find it out: viz. Hyperbole, Allegory, Metalepsis.

HYPERBOLE.

Hyperbole, from [...], to exceed. This Figure represents things greater, les­ser, or better, than they are in their own natures; and this sort of Trope is extreme­ly usefull, when our ordinary terms are [Page 3] so very weak, that they carry in them no proportion, with the notices of our mind; and so the soul, for fear of speaking too little, presently flies out, and enlargeth too much; but let no one fansie, that the use of this Figure is in the least unlawfull; for if we sometimes express ourselves in the highest, or in the lowest degree imaginable, yet 'tis no Lye, for we have not the least intention to deceive any one; but we on­ly fly so extravagantly high, that our discourse may come down with more force into the minds of our audience, and give them such a sense of what we are talking, as may oblige them to conceive 'tis highly impossible; or else to enlarge their thoughts about it.

2 Sam. 1. 23. of the latter kind, Saul and Jonathan were swifter than Eagles, they were stronger than Lions: and by such sensible Idea's, and familiar Resemblances, you conceive still but an higher notion of their mighty strength and activity.

Gen. 32. 12. Thy Seed shall be as the Sand of the sea, which cannot be numbred for multitude; and the Comparison only implies, that his family should be exceeding numerous.

Psal. 107. 26. The Waves of the sea Mount up to Heaven, and go Down again [Page 4] to the Deep; that is, the foaming Waters are carried up exceedingly high, and they tumble down again into the lowest places of the Earth. See Luke 10. 15. to the same purpose.

Rom 9. 3. I could Wish that my self were Accursed from Christ, and as One cut off from the Communion of his Church, for my Brethren and Kinsmen according to the flesh; which Wish was absolutely a thing impossible; yet such a kind of Imprecation could not but give the Jews, an infinite Assurance of St. Paul's excessive Love and Charity to them. See John 21. 25. the World it Self could not Contain the books that should be written; a figurative expres­sion very large.

Gen. 11. 4. Let us Build a Tower, whose Top may reach up unto Heaven: that is, rise up exceeding high, and lofty.

There are two sorts of this Figure Hy­perbole; Auxesis, and Meiosis.

Aaxesis.

James 4. 1. From whence come Wars and fightings among you? Wars is a word that carries in the very sound of it a pub­lick Dispute and Engagement of Nations against one another; but the term here is only made use of, by way of amplification, [Page 5] and signifies the private quarrels and ani­mosities of Christians among themselves.

Judges 5. 4, 5. Lord, when thou Mar­chedst out of Edom, the earth Trembled, and the heavens Dropped, the clouds also Dropped with water, the mountains Melted before the Lord: Not that all these wonder­full Effects did then actually come to pass; but they are here specified, to give us a mighty notion of God's presence, and how the most sacred Majesty of it strikes an uni­versal Fear, and Consternation every where.

Meiosis.

Meiosis, a Figure of diminution, when we use a less word or expression, than the matter requires.

James 4. 17. To him that Knoweth to doe Good, and doth it Not, to Him it is Sin; but not a sin of the least degree, as the phrase at first sight, seems to import; but of a very great Aggravation, being a­gainst Reason and Reflection, and so a ve­ry dangerous and presumptive sin.

Matt. 5. 19. Whosoever shall break one of the least of these commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be the Least in the king dom of Heaven: [...]. a very soft ex­pression, and much milder than such sort of false Teachers can pretend to deserve; [Page 6] but indeed it signifies, such shall be account­ed as nothing, and insignificant, in the Church of God.

1 Cor. 10. 5. But with Many of them God was not Well pleased: A very soft and favourable expression, God was not well pleased, [...] whereas it is very plain by the Consequence, that he was extremely angry, insomuch that in the fury of his displeasure, they were pre­sently cut off and destroyed in the wilder­ness.

Matt. 3. 11. But he that Cometh after Me is Mightier than I, whose Shooes I am not Worthy to Bear: This was spoken by St. John, not without the greatest sense of his own unworthiness; even to that degree, that he thinks himself not worthy to perform the offices of the meanest Ser­vant, for his Blessed Saviour Jesus Christ.

1 Sam 24. 15. After whom is the King come out? after a Dead dog, and after a Flea: The most inconsiderable sort of Crea­ture. See 2 Sam. 9. 8. and 16. 9.

Numbers 13. 33. We saw Men, and were as Grashoppers before them: A peo­ple of the least size and figure in compari­son of them.

Matt. 2. 6. And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the Least among the [Page 7] Princes of Juda: [...] ▪ which is by no means a term of diminution; but, on the contrary, it rather signifies, thou art very great and honourable, upon the Birth of our Saviour, being the place of his Nativity.

Isaiah 40. 17. All Nations before me are as Nothing; and they are counted to him, Less than Nothing and vanity▪ As if in respect of God's Superlative Greatness, it was not sufficient, to say the whole Uni­verse was nothing: But still the Prophet goes farther, and says, it was lesser, even than Nothing; to give us a fuller sense, if possible, what an Inconsiderable thing the whole World is.

Psal. 22. 6. The Royal Psalmist styles himself a Worm, and no Man.

Gen. 18. 27. Now have I taken upon me to Speak unto the Lord, which am but Dust and Ashes: A Preface of the highest sense of his own Unworthiness; as if Mo­ses had said, What, shall I presume to plead with the great God, who am vile Earth, and, which is worse, a most miserable Sin­ner?—Oh, let not the Lord be angry.

AN ALLEGORY.

An Allegory is the Continuation of a Me­taphor, and as that consisteth, in the trans­lation of one word, from the proper signifi­cation of it; so the Allegory translates many terms, from their native sense and meaning; this Figure must not be inter­preted according to the strict and literal signification, but with respect to a meta­phorical sence eminently contained in it.

Matt. 3. 12. Whose Fan is in his▪ Hand, and he will throughly Purge his Flour, and Gather the Wheat into his Garner, but he will Burn up the Chaff with Unquenchable fire: this is all▪ spoken in allusion to the righteous and to the wicked, who are here termed the wheat and the chaff: and the Figure explains what a discrimination and difference, God will at the last day make between them, upon his impartial distribu­tion of Rewards, and Punishments.

Psalm 1. He shall be as a Tree planted by the rivers of waters, that bringeth forth fruit in his season, his Leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doth, it shall prosper; intimating to us, under this sensi­ble Allegory, the happy and flourishing condition of the godly Man.

[Page 9]Galat. 4. 25. This Agar is mount Sinai, in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem that now is: that is, Agar bears some pro­portion to the earthly Jerusalem of this Age; for as the Jews, so all that spring from Agar, are under a servile state. But then, Vers. 26. Jerusalem which is from Above, is free, which is the Mother of us all: but there is another Church, namely, the Christian, answerable to Sarah; and as all born of Sarah were free, so all Chri­stians, now living under the milder dispen­sations of the Gospel, are perfectly set free from spiritual bondage. In short, A­gar, by way of Allegory, represents to us the state of the Jewish Church, who are in a servile condition; but Sarah denotes the Christian Church, which is in a per­fect state of freedom, and not in the least obliged to observe the ceremonial Law of Moses.

Matt. 13. where you observe, the sow­ing of Seed represents the disseminati­on of the Word of God; which impro­ved, or miscarried, in proportion, as the heart of the Believer was more, or less pre­pared for it. But some fell on the Good ground: that is, some were of a good and vertuous disposition of mind, and there the Doctrines of Christ, here called the [Page 10] spiritual Seed, did spring up in their souls, and thrive and grow exceedingly well; and they became extraordinary Pro­fessors of Christianity.

Eccles. 12. there is a very elegant De­scription of the many Infirmities of Old­age carried on Allegorically: Verse 2. While the Sun is not dark; that is, while thy Reason and Understanding is bright and vigorous within thee. Vers. 3 When the Keepers of the house shall tremble; that is, the Hands which keep and defend the Body, shall grow weak and languishing.— and the strong men shall bow them­selves; that is, the Leggs, through the Infirmity of Age, shall not be able to sup­port themselves, but sink under the bur­then and fail.— and the Grinders shall cease, because they are few; that is, not so many in Number, and very much decayed in their strength and firmness.— and they wax dark that look out at the win­dows; which very well expresseth the dim­ness of sight, and the Eyes being, as it were, the windows of the Body.—Verse 4. and the Doors shall be shut without, by the base sounding of the Grinding; that is, the Mouth, and Lips, and Jaws, shall fall in, and close and contract themselves, not be­ing able to keep their distances, and open [Page 11] and chew any more; as being much more tired, through the failure of Teeth, that they cannot without much time and la­bour perform their Offices— and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird; that is, the old man shall be more watchfull, and without soundness of Sleep, and so pre­sently awaken at the least noise, at the voice of the Cock-crowing.— and the Daughters of musick shall be brought low, that is, the Organs of the voice decay, and now are unable to create, and send out the pleasant and harmonious sounds in singing▪— and the man shall be afraid of high places; that is, the poor old man shall tremble to go up into any high place, for fear his Head, through weakness, turns giddy, and he fall and tumble down again. Vers. 5. And the Almond-tree shall flourish, that is, his Head shall be as white with Gray-hairs, as the Blossoms of an Almond­tree.— and the grass-hopper shall be a burthen; that is, the old man shall be so much decayed, and so extremely weak, that he cannot sustain the weight of the lightest burthen.

Luke 15. You have there an Incompa­rable Instance of God's Mercy and Com­passion to Penitent Sinners, very lively de­scribed, under the notion of a tender and [Page 12] affectionate Father, to his prodigal Son, upon his Recovery and Reformation of his former life.

And, What is the whole Book of Can­ticles, but a continued Metaphor? where the sweet Conference between Christ and his Church, is represented in such words and expressions, as seem only proper to Man and Wife, and therefore Christ condescends to express himself in the same familiar dialect, to give us the best assu­rance of his infinite Love and Affection to his Church.

Matt. 25. 1. Where you have the state of the Church represented in the Chara­cter of a Wedding, and with the usual Ceremonies belonging to it; and the whole Allegory, as to the Morality of it, may suggest thus much; that 'tis not suf­ficient for us to be once prepar'd and dis­posed to follow Christ, unless we also per­severe in our Course after him. Now then, the Bridegroom is Christ himself, the time of the Wedding is at his last co­ming, the night is the melancholy state and condition of the Church in the World; the Virgins are they that make profession of the purity of the Gospel, and the wise Vir­gins are the true Believers, that are con­stantly provided in their Hearts, to receive [Page 13] him at his coming, making an holy Life and Practice their daily Business, through the assistance of Divine Grace, which is the Oil that burneth, howsoever it be not always in actual exercise; but the foolish ones are they in the Church, who have been very negligent to excite and cherish the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit: the Lamps are their Hearts, which are unprovided, the Slumber is their Remiss­ness and Cessation from continual exercise of Piety, without expectation of Christ's sudden appearance, caused chiefly through the Infirmity of the Flesh, that is una­ctive and tired out through his long de­lays of coming.

The Holy Scripture is very full of Al­legories of all sorts: See Job 20. 12, 13.—c. 27. v. 20.—c. 28. v. 9. Psal 23. v. 1.—69. 1, 2, 3.—75. 8.—80. v. 8, 9, 10. Prov. 3. 8. Isai. 1. 5, 6, 7.—30. 30. Matt. 3. 10, 12.—5-13.—7 3, 4, 5, 6.—9. 14. Luk 9. 62. Rom. 11. 16, 17, 18. But I should be too tedious should I give you an accurate view of the particular In­stances belonging to this Figure.

METALEPSIS.

Metalepsis multiplies a Trope in one word, when one improper term serves to express another by it, till you arrive at the most proper one of all.

Matt. 21. 20. All the City was moved: The word City here signifies Jerusalem; the general term comprehending the par­ticular, by Synecdoche generis, and Jeru­salem denotes the Inhabitants of it, by a Metonymy of the Subject.

Lament. 4. 4. The tongue of the suck­ing child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for very thirst: here first, by the extreme thirst of the sucking Infant, is signified the barren and dry breasts of the Mother; and by her Want of Milk, extreme Hun­ger and Famine; and by Famine, the dis­mal Poverty and Misery of the People.

Four kinds of a Trope.

There are four sorts of a Trope, Me­tonymy, Irony, Metaphor, Synecdoche.

METONYMY.

Metonymy, of the cause, when the name of the very Person serves to express the act, or operation, proceeding from him: thus,

[Page 15]The Holy Spirit sometimes signifies on­ly regeneration, or a new birth, which is the peculiar efficacy of the third Person in the Blessed Trinity.

Psal. 51. 10. Renew a Right spirit with­in me: and to the very same purpose see Ezek. 36. 26. Eph. 4. 23. Rom. 12. 2. all which places seem to imply nothing less than a moral change wrought in our Souls by the Influence of divine grace, whereby we become regenerate or born again.

1 Thess. 5. 19. 'tis the admonition of St. Paul, not to quench the Spirit, [...], a similitude borrowed from the fire of the ancient Altars, which was continually to be preserved alive; and so here, he must not extinguish the Gifts of the Spirit, but keep them in constant exer­cise, such are Grace, Charity, meekness, &c. See Matt. 25. 8.

2 Tim. 1. 6. The very same Apostle com­mands us to stir up the Gift of the Holy Spirit, that is, Grace, or Faith, or Godli­ness, or some other divine Quality which is excited in us by the mighty energy, pow­er, or operation of the Holy Ghost.

Spirit also sometimes signifies a divine power or energy reigning in the Soul of the regenerate Man: See Luke 1. 46, 47. [Page 16] My soul doth magnifie the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. There are not a few other places of Scri­pture where you will find the word, Spirit, is often made use of, to express the new Man, and spiritual strength, Rom. 1. 9. Galat. 3. 3. Acts 17. 16.

2 Kings 2. 9. It was the earnest request of Elisha to Elijah, let a double portion of thy Spirit be upon me; that is, give me an extraordinary measure of the gift of Prophecy, and power in working Mire­cles, which are here called the portion of thy Spirit, as being the peculiar gifts of the Holy Spirit conferred upon us. See Num. 11. 25. 2 Kings 4. 1, and 42.

Dan. 5. 12. Daniel had a more excel­lent spirit, that is, a more eminent gift of the spirit, more knowledge, and more understanding.

Numb. 11. 25. The Spirit of the Lord rested upon the seventy Elders; that is, the Gift of Prophecy and Prediction.

Acts 19. 2. We have not so much as heard, whether there be Any Holy Ghost: that is, we are very much Strangers to the virtue, power, or influence of him. And you find afterwards, they received the Ho­ly Ghost; that is, the divine Inspirations of him, which did eminently appear in the [Page 17] Gift of languages and of power of working Miracles, and other kind of Wonders. To the same purpose, see Acts 1. 5. Jo. 7. 39.

Rev. 1. 10. I was in the Spirit; that is, in a Rapture or Ecstasie, in which the Un­derstanding is exalted after a wonderfull manner, to the Contemplation of Hea­venly things.

Ezek. 37. 1. The hand of the Lord car­ried me out in the Spirit of the Lord; that is, by a vision occasioned by him; where you see, in both these places, the Spirit, the efficient Cause, is put for the Effect, proceeding from him.

Luke 16. 29. They have Moses and the Prophets; that is, the Books of Moses; where by a Metonymy of the efficient Cause, the Author is put for his Writings. See Luke 24. 27.

Eph. 4. 20. But ye have not so learned Christ; that is, the Gospel and Doctrines delivered by him.

Acts 2. 4. They began to speak with O­ther tongues; that is, with different sorts of languages.

Prov. 25. 15. A Soft Tongue breaketh the Bones; that is, a mild and courteous way of speaking, softens the hardest Heart, and most obstinate Resolutions; where you see, in both these places of Scripture, the [Page 18] instrumental Cause signifies the Effect it self produced by it.

Gen. 11. 1. And the whole earth was of One lip; that is, of one language, and u­niform way of speaking; Instrumentum pro Effectu ipso.

Job 31. 6. Let God weigh me in an e­ven Balance; the instrument of Equity and Justice, for equity it self; and so with­out a Metaphor, the Phrase signifies no more, but, Let God try and examine me impartially.

Ezek. 7. 15. the Sword is without, and the Pestilence and the Famine within; that is, death, and ruin, is scattered every where; and is signified by those which are the un­happy instruments of it.

Matt. 10. 34. I came not to send Peace, but a Sword; that is variance, and death, and persecution; instrumentum, pro Re ef­fecta. Not that our Saviour's Coming was the proper Cause of such Unhappiness; but so it should eventually happen out up­on his appearance in our Nature, because his Kingdom was of another World, and so extreamly contrary to all the designs and interest of the present World.

Metonymy of the Mat­ter.

Metonymia Materiae, when the very name of the matter signifies the very thing [Page 19] made and fashioned out of it: thus,

Psal. 115. 4. Their Idols are Silver and Gold.

Dan. 5. 4. They praised the Gods of I­ron and Brass; that is, made out of those metals.

Gen. 3. 19. Dust thou art, that is, thou art formed out of it.

Psal. 105. 18 He was laid in Iron, that is, in Chains of Iron.

Metonymy of the Ef­fect.

Metonymy of the effect, when the thing caused is put for the efficient Cause of it.

Gen. 4. 13. My Punishment, says Cain, is greater than I can bear, that is, my ini­quity is greater than can be forgiven▪ There, punishment signifies the very sin it self, as the immediate Consequence of it.

2 Kings 4. 40. there is Death in the Pot; meaning some most destructive and poisonous thing, which causeth Death.

John 17. 3. And this is life Eternal, that they may know Thee, the only true God; that is, the Knowledge of God and his Son Jesus Christ, is the principal Cause of everlasting Salvation to all that live suit­ably to those notices.

Luke 2. 30. My eyes have seen thy Sal­vation, [...] that is, our Saviour himself, the Author of it. So Gen. 49. 18. [Page 20] I have waited for thy Salvation; that is▪ the promised Messiah. So Isai. 49. 6. All flesh shall See the Salvation of God; that is, a Saviour.

Gen. 25. 13. Two Nations are in thy womb; that is, the Fathers of two Nati­ons, Esau and Jacob.

Rom. 7. 7. Is the law sin? saith our Apostle; that is, Is the Law it self the proper cause of Sin? or, Is there any such malignity in the very nature of it, as pro­duceth any such Effect?

1 Cor. 10. 13. Let every one Please his Neighbour for Good, to Edification; that is, so behave himself in all things of indif­ferency, that such a deportment may be the cause of their good will and pleasure, and purchase their favour and kind opinion of us. So Rom. 15. 2.

Metonymy of the Sub­ject.

A Metonymy of the Subject; when the Subject is made use of, to signifie the accident or quality inherent in it.

Prov. 6. 32. whoso committeth Adulte­ry with a woman, wanteth a Heart; that is, wisdom and understanding: so he that trusteth in his own heart, i. e. in his own discretion and prudence.

Psal. 7. 9. the heart is put for the thoughts and inclinations of it, Psalm 62. 8. - 142. 2.

Continens, pro Re contenta. The thing containing for the ve­ry thing it self con­tained.

Luke 22. 17. He took the Cup, and gave thanks, [...] where the cup is put for the liquor contained in it, as is more plain from v. 18 I will not drink of the Fruit of the Vine. Thus in the Blessed Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, this cup is the N. Test. in my blood, not the vessel it self, but the liquor in it.

The Place signifies the Thing or Person in that place. The place serves to denote any thing in that place.

Matt. 8. 34. The Whole city went out to meet him: Locus, pro Incolis. So Mark 1. 33. Isai. 38. 18. The Grave cannot Praise thee: they that are dead, and buri­ed, are incapable of it.

Gen. 7. 1. Come thou, and All thy house, into the ark; thou and all thy family.

Psal. 69. 22. Let their Table be made a Snare to them; that is, Let their meats and drink, prove dangerous to their health and happiness.

Wo unto thee Corazim, wo unto thee Bethsaida. So Matt. 10. 15. - 3. 5. where the places signifie the inhabitants of them, and those heavy judgments denoun­ced against their impenitency and disobedi­ence.

[Page 22]Luke 15. 18. I have sinned against Heaven, that is, God himself; for altho' he is Omnipresent, and so in all places of the World at the very same time, yet if we can say God dwells any where, we may more properly say, he is in heaven.

The name of the things represented is sometimes used to express the sign of it: thus,

Ezek. 7. 27. The Prince shall be Cloathed with Sadness and desolation; that is, with such garments, as are the proper expressions or signs of mourning and lamentation.

Mark 14. 22. Jesus took Bread, and blessed it, and Brake it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take, eat, This is my bo­dy: where the Verb substantive, is, must not be taken in the strictest sence; but there it must be expounded thus, this Bread is representative of, or signifies my Body broken, being to you all, a sensible sign or resemblance of it. Wine is sometimes cal­led Christ's Blood.

Matt. 26. 27, 28. Our Saviour took the Cup and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is my Blood: which is a figurative expression; Nomenrei signatae, pro Signo; and how very absurd is the Consequence, if you suppose there is no Figure, and that the words must be taken [Page 23] in their literal strictest sence? For then the Article, this, referrs to the cup, and so, this cup is my blood; which is such an Absur­dity, that to avoid such a plain Contradi­ction, we must confess, that nothing else can with any tolerable sence, be there signified by those words; but that the wine contained in the Cup, represents, or is a manifest sign of my blood: And that this is a true and proper explication of the words, is still more plain from the next Verse, v. 29. where our Saviour assures his Disciples, that although he commands them all to drink of it; but, says he, I will drink no more of the Fruit of the vine; where he himself plainly calls it wine, immediately after he gave it to his Disciples, although in vers. 28. he calls it his blood. But I referr you to a Treatise upon this Subject written by his Grace, the Arch Bishop of Cant. where this absurd Doctrine of Transubstantion is sufficiently exposed.

Gen. 17. 10. This is my Covenant, E­very Male-child shall be circumcised; where Circumcision, the Sign or Condition of it, is yet called the Covenant it self.

1 Sam. 18. 7. Saul hath slain his Thou­sands, and David his Ten thousands: Me­tonymia Subjecti, Dux, pro Exercitu; the Armies of these two Generals had done so.

Metonymy of the Adjunct.

Metonymy of the Adjunct; when that which belongs to any thing, serves to re­present the thing it self: thus,

They shall bring down my Gray-hairs with sorrow to the Grave; that is, me, that now am Gray and old in years.

Gen. 31. 53. Jacob sware by the Fear of his father Isaac; that is, by the God, whom Isaac feared.

2 Kings 20. 1. Set thine house in order; meaning his houshold affairs.

The time is put for things that are done, or are in time.

My Times are in thy Hands; that is, my life and continuation of it is in thy Power.

John 12. 27. Save me from this hour; that is, from that Agony and Passion I must undergo at that very time.

Eph. 5. 16. The Days are evil; that is, The men of these times are so.

Job 32. 7. I said, Days should speak, and Multitude of years should Teach wis­dom: that is, Men of great age and expe­rience should instruct us. The Sign for the Thing ex­pressed by it.

The Sign is commonly used to express the very Thing signified by it.

A Throne is put for a Kingdom, Psalm 89. 4.

[Page 25] Sceptre signifies regal Power, Gen. 49. v. 10. The Sceptre should not depart from Judah.

Rom. 13. 4. He beareth not the Sword in vain; that is, power and authority.

Phil. 2. 10. At the Name of Jesus eve­ry knee shall bow; that is, at the Person, when his name is mentioned.

The Gospel of Uncircumcision was com­mitted to me, as the Gospel of Circumcision was to Peter; that is, Paul had the same Commission, to go and instruct the Gen­tiles, as Peter had, to teach the Jews; these two terms being signs of distinction between them, Circumcision, and Uncir­cumcision.

His enemies lick the Dust; a sign of slavery and subjection, and so signifies their enemies should be slaves to them.

Lament. 2. 10. The elders of the daugh­ters of Sion sit upon the Ground, and keep Silence; they have cast up dirt upon their heads, they have girt themselves with sack­cloath, the virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground: meaning, they were in mighty sorrows and afflictions, de­scribed very sensibly by all these mournfull signs and representations.

[Page 26] Antecedent, or that which goes before, is put for the Consequent of it: Thus;

Rom. 2. 5. After thy impenitent heart, treasurest up wrath unto thy self; that is, Punishment, as the natural result of our disobedience.

He that eateth or drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation: but the word [...] implies no more than judgment or condemnation, which are antece­dent to his damnation hereafter.

Psal. 105. 44. He gave their labour un­to the locust; where labour signifies, the profit and benefit arising from it, the very fruits of all their labour and industry.

Prov. 24. 27. It is not good to know the face in judgment; not that the bare notice, or the acquaintance with a Person, was in­convenient in it self: but there is an unhap­py Consequence often attends, which is favour and partiality, to him, in matters of judgment and justice.

IRONIE.

Ironie is a sort of a Trope or Figure, by which we speak contrary to our very Thoughts; saying one thing, but meaning what is very different to it.

[Page 27]2 Sam. 6. 20. How glorious was the King of Israel to day? that is, how shame­full? how dishonourable? See the Con­text.

Job 12. 2. No doubt but ye are the peo­ple, and wisdom shall die with you: as if he said; You, surely, fansie your selves to be extreamly wise; and that all wisdom shall perish with you; which is a tacit reprehen­sion of their imprudent censure, in accu­sing Job of some impiety, as if God's judgments upon him was an infallible sign of his wicked life; this very opinion is condemned, Luke 13. 4.

Gen. 37. 19. Behold this Master of dreams cometh: this was said not without the highest scorn and derision of Joseph, when their opinion of his Interpretation about them, was otherwise.

Amos 4. 4. Come to Bethel, and trans­gress at Gilgal, multiply transgressions, and bring your sacrifices every morning: As if the Prophet said, Come, Make hast, and make preparation to offer Sacrifices in your worship of Idols: but then remem­ber, you shall not go unpunished for these Offences. And if at first sight the words seem to be some kind of Invitation to the practice of Idolatry; yet really they are the highest dissuasion from it imaginable.

[Page 28]Eccles. 11. 9. Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart chear thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thy eyes: Now what literal Expositor would not presently take this advice of Solomon to the young man, to be a very great encou­ragement, now he is in the flower of his youth, to make the very best use of his time, and to pursue all kind of sensual plea­sures? and yet, Are they not the severest check imaginable, to stop the course of his sinfull Life?— But know thou, that for all these things, God will bring thee into judgment: This indeed was an amazing Sentence; and sufficient, one would think, to strike his Soul, and force her to consider the dangerous consequence of Sin. Go on, but yet remember, there is a day of judge­ment, when you must give a most severe account, of all your Excess and Sensuali­ty, to the supream Judge of Men and An­gels.

1 Kings 18. 27. Thus Elijah adviseth the Prophets of Baal, Cry aloud, for he is a God, either he is talking, or he is pursu­ing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and he must be awaked: As if the Prophet said, Cry aloud, ye Prophets, for perhaps your God is full of thought [Page 29] and contemplation, and discoursing to him­self; or possibly your God cannot present­ly hear the sound of your Voices. Cry aloud, perhaps your God is in a full pur­suit of his enemies; or possibly he may be sleepy and drowzie, and you must awaken him by your excessive Noises. And it came to pass, that Elijah mocked; and the Event was a very sufficient demonstration of it.

2 Cor. 12. 13. What was it wherein▪ you were inferiour to other Churches, except it be, that I my self was not burthensome to you? forgive me this wrong: as if S. Paul said, You differ from no Church planted by any of the Apostles, but only in this one particular, that I put you to no kind of charges for the relief of my Necessities; and this, I hope, was such a kind of inju­ry, such a trouble, as you, I suppose, can easily pardon. Forgive me this wrong, that I was not so very chargeable to you, as some of the Apostles have been to other Churches. This was a very gentile and pleasant way of reprehension, and carries with it more force and power of Convicti­on, than a more serious way of argumen­tation.

2 Cor. 10. 12. For we dare make our selves of the number, or compare our selves [Page 30] with some, that commend themselves: tho' Saint Paul had very great qualifications, and therefore had much more tempta­tion to compare himself with other men, especially with those, who in all respects, were so very much inseriour to our Apo­stle; yet still we dare not presume, to make the least comparisons. How pleasantly does St. Paul reprove the Pride, the Arrogance, the vain presumption of some false Apo­stles, who pleased themselves with false applauses of their own merits; and flatter'd themselves, that others were in no respect comparable to them.

— Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of man: Now that Christ was the most sincere Lover of truth, not handling the Word of God deceitful­ly, in compliance to humane passions, and infirmities, cannot be denied without the highest Blasphemy; yet the hypocritical Pharisee said this, in a way of scorn and derision of him; and not as if it was in the least conformable to their opinion of our Saviour Christ; but all this solemn Preface was only made use of as a more artificial expedient to betray Christ, to deliver his opinion with more freedom, [Page 31] concerning the lawfulness of giving tribute to Caesar; for the question was very trea­cherous, and to determine either for, or a­gainst Caesar, was almost equally dangerous; if he declares in favour of Caesar, then he is no longer a friend to the common People; and if Christ answered, that the payment of tribute was unlawfull; he had been presently found guilty of Sedition; this was their Motive to this insidious Question, and that pompous Introduction to it, was only look'd upon by them as a more effectual and plausible way to be­tray him. But Jesus perceived their wick­edness, their dissimulation, their vile hypo­crisie; and says, Why do ye endeavour, un­der this specious pretence of respect and re­verence, to ensnare me? Why tempt ye me, ye Hypocrites?

Matt. 2. 8. Go, says Herod to the Wise Men, and search diligently for the young child, and when you have found him, bring me word again, that I may come, and wor­ship him: Thus the Tyrant disguiseth his most villainous design, under the colour of an honourable respect; when his intention was to destroy and murther him, as appears from Verse 16.

A METAPHOR.

A Metaphor is an artificial Translation of a word, from the proper signification of it to another, because there is some pro­portion between the similitude, and the very thing signified. This kind of Trope is extreamly pleasant, and not without ex­cellent use; for it inriches our mind with two Idea's at the very same time, with the truth, and the similitude.

Deut. 32. 42. I will make my arrows drunk with bloud, and my sword shall de­vour flesh: The first Metaphor is borrow­ed from excessive and intemperate drink­ing, intimating to us the mighty effusion of blood, and the exceeding greatness of their ruin and destruction. The second is taken from the most eager and hungry ap­petites of a beast; which makes the ima­ges of death come much more lively to the understanding, and how impossible it is for us to escape the edge of the Sword, when God himself is concerned in our ru­ine and execution.

Zech. 9. 14 His Arrows shall go forth as lightning. A very proper simile to ex­press their swift death and execution.

[Page 33]Hos. 5. 12. I will be unto Ephraim, as a Moth; which expression represents to us insensible decay and ruin; as a Moth se­cretly fretting a Garment, so Ephraim shall silently consume away, by the most secret and unaccountable ways.

Matt. 5. 13. Ye are the Salt of the Earth; for as 'tis the property of Salt to preserve any thing from its Putrefaction, so the doctrines of the Apostles were to season our minds, and preserve and purifie us from all immoral Corruptions or Im­purities.

Psal. 91. 5, 6. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day, nor for the Pestilence that walketh in darkness; and the Expres­sion still gives us a more lively and sensible notion of the secret Malignity of the Plague, and how it ruins and destroys us after invisible ways and degrees; so that the Invasion of it becomes irresistible.

Job 6. 4. For the arrows of the Almigh­ty are within we; the poison thereof drink­eth up my spirit; the terrors of the Lord set themselves in array against me; the term is military; when an Army of Men put themselves in a posture to attack and en­compass their Enemies.

[Page 34]1 Tim. 6. 16. God is said to dwell in Light, which no man can approach unto: Which Metaphor conveys to our Mind a stronger notion of his incomprehensible Na­ture, and forbids our reason to make cu­rious enquiries after God, who is inaccessi­ble, as the Sun is to our Eye when it shines out in its brightest glory. Why then dost thou dive into abstruse and mysterious Truths concerning the Blessed Trinity? for with Job the Question is, Chap. 11. v. 7. resolved, that all such Enquiries are unpro­fitable; Canst thou find out God unto Per­fection; that is, 'tis all in vain, for 'tis impossible so to doe.

Numb. 6. 25. The Lord make his face to shine upon thee; that is, the Lord be gra­cious and favourable to thee, as the Sun looks most kindly upon us when it appears in its brightest lustre and glory.

— But unto you that fear my name, shall the Sun of righteousness arise with Healing in his wings: This is a very live­ly Comparison between Christ and the Sun, which by his refreshing influence, warms every thing into life. So our Savi­our also, by the comfortable heat and effica­cy of his perfect Righteousness, brings life and salvation, and quickens, and revives all who were spiritually dead, and who [Page 35] before his appearance sate in darkness and in the shadow of death.

Christ is sometimes called a Star, Num. 24. 17. because his appearance brought more light of Knowledge into the world. He is sometimes called a Sceptre, to signi­fie his royal Office; and sometimes a Fa­ther, to express his love and affection; sometimes a Shepherd, which kind appella­tion declares his care and watchfulness over us. He is termed the spiritual Rock, of which the Israelites did drink in the Wilderness, Exod. 17. 6. 1 Cor. 10. 4. for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ; that is, did sacramentally represent Christ, who being smitten by his Father, did by the precious effusion of his blood, deliver us from death.

Judges 5. 20. They fought from heaven, the stars from heaven fought against Sisera; which is a military Expression, but here it may signifie no more, than that the very stars by their secret influences did some way or other contribute to their overthrow, perhaps by causing great Falls of Rain or Snow.

Colos. 2. 17. Which are but a shadow of things to come; [...] transitory signs or representations, but the body, or sub­stance, [Page 36] or the reality of these Mysteries, are opposite to ancient Ceremonies, as much as body is to shadow; for what are ceremo­nies, but as it were the first drawings or shadows of a Picture, which strokes and de­lineations all vanish and disappear as the life and perfection of it is coming on.

Psalm 139. 2. Thou understandest my thoughts afar off: A Metaphor taken from a prospect of any thing at a great distance from us; but in a proper sence, the phrase assures us, that God by the in­finite power of his prescience, knows our thoughts before they spring up in the soul; and yet this infinite view of them gives no determinations to them; for by his infi­nite understanding, how does God foresee all the various turns and reflections of the mind, and how the soul after many ways of thinking, will at last resolve to put this or that design in execution; so that this infinite prospect of our thoughts derives no necessary power and influence upon them. To use a lower Instance; And if you your self could foresee that your friend after many changes of his mind, would certainly travel into Italy, such a previous knowledge of his affairs and designs, by no means gives any byas to them; neither is he obliged by any power [Page 37] of yours, to prosecute his journey.

SYNECDOCHE.

Synecdoche, from [...], to compre­hend: This Trope is a form of speaking, when we make use of words that are more comprehensive, for others which are less: and so on the contrary, when we put the name of a part to signifie the whole, or else the name of the whole to express any particular part of it; as if you say, the Plague is in France, when perhaps 'tis on­ly in Paris.

There are four sorts or species belong­ing to this Figure.

Synecdoche Generis.

1. Synecdoche Generis, when a general word comprehends a particular, or when the universal denotes the special term. Thus:

Luke 2. 1. It came to pass that all the world was to be taxed; meaning the whole Roman Empire, a small, though very re­markable, part of the World.

Exod. 9. 6. And all the cattel of Egypt died; which signifies not universally, as if every kind of Beast were destroyed, but only, or at least chiefly, those that then were in the fields; for that some were pre­served alive is plain enough from vers. 19.

[Page 38]Thus, All flesh, Gen. 6. 12. and All Creatures, Mark 16. 15. signifie man only.

And, Every Creature, implies only some of each sort, and not all of every kind, Gen. 7. 8.

So, All manner of four footed beasts, signifies a very great number, Acts 10. 12.

Exod. 20. 10. Thou shalt not doe any manner of work on the Sabbath day; that is, no toilsome and servile labour, which is the business of every other day; where the universal term of negation is limited and restrained to a particular Negative. So,

Ye shall not swear at all, is a prohibiti­on, not excluding all manner of Oaths, but such only as are rash and not requi­red in a judicial way by the supreme Ma­gistrate.

Matt. 27. 44. The thieves also, [...] which were crucified with him upbraided him; where the plural Number denotes the singular, for only one of the two Thieves did vilifie our Saviour, as appears from Luke 23. 39.

Synecdoche Speciei.

2. Synecdoche Speciei, when a particular word or expression of a more narrow sig­nification does imply one of a general and larger notification. Thus,

James 1. 27. Pure religion is this, to visit the fatherless and the widow in their affliction; which are but a very narrow compass of Religion; but they are taken more generally, for any Persons under a­ny sort of Calamity.

Exod. 3. 8. A Land flowing with milk and honey; that is, abounding with all things good and desirable.

Abraham and Israel, two proper Names, signifie the Patriarchs, a word of larger extent, Isai. 63. 16.

Exod. 20. Honour thy father and thy mother, is a duty more universal, and com­mands us to pay obedience and reverence to all Superiours, especially those in high Authority.

Synecdoche Totius.

3. Synecdoche Totius, when the Name of the whole serves to denote a part of it. Thus,

Luke 23. 43. To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise; where the word thou seems to comprehend the whole man; but it signifies his soul only, without his body.

2 Pet. 3. 6. The whole world being over­flowed with water; that is, the earth, the lowest part of the world.

Dan. 2. 4. O King, live for ever: where all duration of time, even to Eternity, sig­nifies [Page 40] a long part of time, for ever, that is, for a long time.

Synecdoche Partis.

4. Synecdoche Partis, when the Name of a Part or Member is made use of to notifie the whole thing or person.

Acts. 27. 37. And we were all in the Ship, two hundred threescore and sixteen souls: where the [...] comprehends the whole man.

And the evening and the morning were the first day; where the principal parts of the day signifie the entire spaces of day and night.

Of Figures in the Repetition of the same Sound.

EPIZEƲXIS.

Epizeuxis, from [...] to join to­gether. This Figure repeats the same word in the same Sentence, by way of emphasis, and so gives more life and passion to our discourses: Thus:

How does Holy David express himself in an infinite Passion, upon the death of his Son Absalom, 2 Sam. 18. 33. O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom, would God I had died for thee, O Absalom my [Page 41] son, my son: How often are the very same words over and over again; to signifie, if possible, the mighty grief and anguish of his Soul, for the irreparable loss of his dearly beloved Son.

Psalm 22. 1. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? See Matth. 27. 46. The words are full of Complainings, most earnestly lamenting, that God himself was departed from him, even when his Divine presence was most needfull to preserve him from the approach of some imminent danger, but in respect of Christ figured by David, they are the expressions of his Humanity, representing the extreme Ago­ny of his Passion, and the inexpressible Pains and Torments. See Matt. 26. 38, 39. My soul, saith Christ, is exceeding sor­rowfull, even unto death. See also Luke 22. 44.

Luke 23. 21. But they cryed, saying, Crucifie him, Crucifie him; representing to us their most violent Importunities, and loud Clamours of the People against his Life.

Acts 9. 4. Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me: A very earnest and passionate Expostulation from heaven, to move and persuade Saul, that he should no longer breath out threatnings and slaughters a­gainst the Church of Christ.

[Page 42]Matt. 23. 37. Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem; How is the same word repeated over a­gain very emphatically, to give us the high­est conception of God's trouble and mighty concernment for their impenitency and wil­full disobedience? See Psalm 145. 18. Joel 1. 15. Exod. 34. 6.

ANADIPLOSIS.

Anadiplosis, derived from [...] and [...] duplico. This Figure pronounceth the same word in different Sentences: when the last word of the preceding Pro­position is repeated in the beginning of the following: thus;

Rom. 14. 8. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we die, we die unto the Lord: and therefore in either state, 'tis our business to preserve in our minds a lively sense of God's providence; and refer our selves to his care and pro­tection of our souls and bodies; since whe­ther we live or die, we are the Lord's. See Rom. 8. 17.

Phil. 2. 8. He became obedient to death▪ even the death of the Cross: and was it not still an higher instance of his great Humi­lity and Condescension; because such a sort of death was by all reputed the most [Page 43] infamous and shamefull way of dying.

Knowing that tribulation worketh pati­ence, and patience experience, and experi­ence hope, and hope maketh not ashamed: thus is there a gradual progress from the practice of one Vertue, to another, altho▪ through some accidental indisposition of our minds. One Vertue may not promote the exercise of another.

CLIMAX.

Climax, gradatio; when the words are in such a Position, that there is a gradual ascent from one to another: till you arrive at the last step of the period: Thus;

Matt. 10. 40. He that receiveth you, re­ceiveth me; and he that receiveth me, recei­veth him that sent me: There is here a gradual advancement in every period, and the last is the highest of all. In as much as the respect and honour given to God the Father, upon the reception of his Son, is much greater, than any that is paid to the Son, who, in respect of his humanity and his mission from Heaven, was inferiour to God the Father.

John 1. 11. In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God: In the beginning, that is, [Page 44] before the creation of the world, the [...] had then his being; for if he was not be­fore all things; how then could all things be made by him? The first word then signifies his eternity, the next his persona­lity: And the word was with God; which phrase expresseth a distinct mode or man­ner of subsistence of the Son, from the Fa­ther; because no Person is said to be with himself, but with another Person. And the last words expresly assert his Divinity; And the word was God: See this Text expounded in a Sermon of his Grace, the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury.

1 Cor. 3. 22, 23. All are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.

Rom. 8. 30. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom▪ he called, them also he justified; and whom he justified, them also he glorified.

Matt. 5. 27, 28. Ye have heard, it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery▪ But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman, to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart: So that the Chri­stian morality is much more refined; and reaches not only to the external actions▪ but even those of the mind, the most secret imaginations.

[Page 45]Matt. 11. 9. But what went ye out for to see; a Prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a Prophet.

Matt. 8. 20. Jesus saith unto them, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

Here, in these Verses, there is a noble rise in the sence of the words, and without much impropriety they are reducible to this Figure.

ANAPHORA.

Anaphora, from [...], to bring back again: 'tis a repetition of a word in the beginning of several Sentences: Thus;

The voice of the Lord is powerfull, the voice of the Lord is full of majesty, Psal. 29. 4.

Praise the Lord from the Heavens, praise him in the height, praise him all his Angels, praise him Sun and Moon: where the Roy­al Psalmist affectionately calls upon the whole order of created Beings, to sing Prai­ses to their Maker.

Charity suffereth long, and is kind, cha­rity envieth not, charity vaunteth not her self: where the abstract is made use of for the concrete, the charitable Person, Psal. 118. v. 8, 9.

[Page 46]Jer. 50. 35, 36, 37. A Sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith the Lord, a sword is upon the Inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her Princes, and upon her wise men, a sword is upon her mighty men; and they shall be dismayed, a sword is upon their horses, and upon their chariots: This induction of Par­ticulars, with the continual application of the same term to every period, renders the discourse much more emphatical, and infu­seth into the mind a notion of universal ru­in and desolation.

EPISTROPHE.

Epistrophe, conversio, from [...], & [...], verto. This Figure returns the same word at the end of several Clauses: Thus;

Are they Israelites, so am I? Are they the seed of Abraham, so am I? 2 Cor. 11. 22.

Have we not prophesied in thy Name, and done miracles in thy Name? Matt. 7. 22.

See Psal. 106. where, His mercy endu­reth for ever, is the conclusion of every Verse, and very proper to express the endless du­ration of his Mercy.

SYMPLOCE.

Symploce, complicatio, from [...], to [Page 47] fold together; when the same sort of words are in the beginning and in the end of seve­ral Sentences.

Jer. 9. 23. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might; let not the rich man glo­ry in his riches: And this is the very Ad­monition of God himself, That we should not in the least place our hope and confi­dence upon the best of worldly things, but only upon God Almighty, who is only able to save, and defend us.

EPANALEPSIS.

Epanalepsis, resumptio, from [...], and [...], accipio. This Figure makes use of the same word or expression in the be­ginning and ending of the same Sentence.

Phil. 4. 4. Rejoice in the Lord always, and again, I say, Rejoice.

2 Sam. 18. 33. O Absalom, my son, my son.

EPANADOS.

Epanados, regressio. This Figure em­ploys the same word at the beginning and middle of a Sentence, or in the middle and end of it; as if they were inverted, [Page 48] and the contrary sence turned upon them▪

Isai. 5. 20. Wo unto them who call good evil, and evil good; who put light for dark­ness, and darkness for light.

Rom. 7. 19. For the good that I would, I doe not; but the evil which I would not, that I doe.

How are the terms here inverted? good is the object of his will, but still 'tis impracticable; and evil, tho' contrary to his will and intention [...], yet that he puts in­to practice.

John 8. 47. He that is of God, heareth God's word; ye therefore hear it not, be­cause ye are not of God; that is, because ye are not regenerate by his Spirit.

2 Cor. 2. 15, 16. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish; to the one we are the savour of death unto death, and to the other the savour of life unto life: that is, the Gospel is preached to all persons, without any distinction, but the blessed efficacy of it, is extreamly diffe­rent, and varies according to the dispositi­on of the receiver; for 'tis life and salva­tion to the believer; but to the faithless and disobedient, inevitable death and de­struction.

PARONOMASIA.

Paronomasia, a likeness of words; deri­ved from [...], which in composition, signifies with alteration, and [...], a name, from [...], to change or allude to a name. This Figure employs the same word to a very different purpose, and sometimes it changes one letter or syllable of a word to another sence and signification.

Matt. 8. 22. Let the dead, bury their dead: the first words signifie a moral death, those that are dead in trespasses and sins; but the last imply a natural death, such as are dead and departed this life.

2 Cor. 10. 3. Though we walk in the flesh, yet we do not war after the flesh: though we are men, and made in the same fashion like other men; yet in this respect we differ from them, for we place no con­fidence in the arm of flesh, no assistance from the world, but all our sufficiency is from God.

2 Cor. 6. 9. As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live: tho' some may look upon us, as if they were not so desirous to know us in our afflictions; yet others esteem and value us the more, and are willing to know us in the greatest of our Calamities.

PLOCE.

Ploce, derived from [...], to bind to­gether. This Figure pronounceth a word so emphatically, that it denotes not only the thing signified, but also the very quali­ty of it; thus 'tis no unusual thing to re­peat the proper name of a man, to express some remarkable vertue belonging to him; as we may say, In that action Alexander was Alexander, that is, a mighty Conque­rour.

Gen. 27. 36. Is he not rightly called Ja­cob, saith Esau, for he hath supplanted me these two times.

POLYPTOTON.

Polyptoton, from [...], variatio casuum. This Figure employs words of the same derivation, but alters the termi­nation, or the Mood, Case, or Gender.

Rom. 2. 21. Thou that preachest, a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

Rom. 11. 16. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things; that is, God is supream, and disposeth every thing to serve the wise ends of his providence.

[Page 51]2 Tim. 3. 13. But evil men and sedu­cers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. See the various ter­mination of the same words, Heb. 6. 14.

Figures in reference to a sentence, are such as affect the whole sentence, not with­out some emotion of the Soul.

ECPHONESIS.

Ecphonesis, Exclamation. This is a most pathetical sort of Figure, whereby the O­rator discovers the excessive passion of his own mind, and so makes a suitable impres­sion upon the affections of his Audience.

This Figure is varied many ways. First, In a way of wonder and admira­tion of God's infinite Perfections▪

Rom 11. 33. Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past finding out?

Secondly, In a way of sorrow and mourning, for God's absence, or of his disregard to the voice of our Petitions.

Psal. 22. 1, 2. My God, my God, Why hast thou forsaken me? O my God, I cry [Page 52] in the day time, but thou hearest not.

Isai. 6. 5. Wo is me, for I am undone; Thus, in a way of desperation, how is the Prophet extreamly sensible of his own un­worthiness, as if he thought the forgive­ness of his sin was now impossible; this was the dreadfull apprehension of men in for­mer times, when God did more signally manifest himself, Deut. 5. 25. Judg. 6. 22. and 13. 22.

Thirdly, In a way of expostulation with God himself, for his Mercy and Compas­sion.

Ob remember that my life is wind; Thus he makes the short continuance of his being, a very great inducement, that God should be more indulgent to him, and preserve him from sudden ruin and destruction.

Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am, Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Job 6. 11, 12. What is my strength, that I should hope? and, What is my end, that I should prolong my life? How does holy Job here complain of his insufferable miseries, and longs most passionately to be at rest in his grave, as if he despaired of any cessati­on from his pains and afflictions so long as [Page 53] he was alive. On that I might have my request, and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!—

Rom. 9. 20. Nay, but O man, who art thou, that repliest egainst God? A severe reprehension to our peevish murmurings and complaints, as if God had not an ab­solute power over us, to punish us, unless we our selves gave our consent to the infli­ctions of it.

Fourthly, In a way of censure and re­prehension.

Acts 12. 10. O full of subtilty, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness. And, Can there possibly be a worse Cha­racter than this?

Fifthly, In a way of most earnest wish­ing.

Psalm 55. 6. O that I had the wings of a Dove! that I might flee away, and be at rest.

Sixthly, In a way of infinite commisera­tion and pity of our unhappy condition.

Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the Prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her thickens under her wings, and ye would not?

[Page 54]How does God himself mourn for the misery of his People? that they so neglected all the means to their salvation; when he himself infinitely desired to preserve them, even with the very same degrees of tender­ness, as the most affectionate creature de­sires to save, and hover over her Young.

Lament. 1. 1, 2. How is the golden city spoiled? how doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people? how is she become a wi­dow? And so the Prophet goes on in a most elegant manner to describe the mise­ry of her ruin and fall from her prosperity.

Seventhly, In a way of triumph and ex­ultation.

1 Cor. 15 55. Oh death, where is thy sting? oh grave, where is thy victory?

Eighthly, In a transport of love and admiration.

Psal. 84. 1. Oh how amiable are thy ta­bernacles, thou Lord of hosts! As if the Royal Psalmist was in such a rapture, that he could give no adequate notion of his love and delight in God's house; by a cold affirmation of the pleasure of it, but was forced to run himself into an Ecstasie, and so leaves the question undetermined, as if it was unexpressible.

EPIPHONEMA.

Epiphonema is an Acclamation, contain­ing some very remarkable sentence at the close of our discourse; it is, as it were, the last finishing stroke which we desire to leave upon the affections of our Audience. Thus; St. Paul after he had confuted several false opinions concerning the manner of the resurrection, at last he recommends the do­ctrine of it, advising them, upon the certain hopes and expectations of another life, to be constant in all manner of holi­ness. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for asmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord, 1 Cor. 15. 58.

Matt. 6. 21. Our Saviour here endea­vours to call off their affections from an excessive pursuit of the world; for if they did engage their thoughts so exceedingly, they would leave no room for Heaven; and then at last, to leave his discourse still more warm upon their spirits; thus he concludes, For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

2 Cor. 10. 18. St. Paul, endeavouring to discourage the vanity of self-commendati­on, [Page 56] leaves this sensible impression upon them, as the best dissuasive from the pra­ctice of it; for not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.

Prov. 9. 17, 18. Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret, is pleasant. This is the insinuation of the adulterous woman, concerning the high relish of her unlaw­full pleasures; but then see the conclusion of such unhappy satisfactions; but he know­eth not that the dead are there, and that her guests are in the depths of hell.

Eccles. 7. 31. Lo, only this have I found, that God hath made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions. The only thing I fully apprehend, after all my enquiries, is this, That God at first en­dowed man with a principle of right rea­son for his certain guide and direction to happiness; but he lost this noble talent through sin, which is the cause of all his vain thoughts and imaginations.

When our Blessed Saviour had per­formed many wonderfull Cures, how do the People, with one voice, conspire in this Acclamation, He hath done all things well; he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak. Mark 7. 37.

EPANORTHOSIS.

Epanorthosis, from a Greek word signi­fying to correct or amend. When we are in a passion we are seldom satisfied with what we say, or doe; insomuch that we are apt to fansie our expressions are no ways e­qual to our thoughts, and so we still add fresh, and more words to correct, as we think, the insufficiency of the former.

Acts 26. 27. King Agrippa, believest thou the Prophets? I know that thou be­lievest. Does not our Apostle seem as it were to question the faith of King Agrippa, as if he were not yet sufficiently convinced concerning the divine authority of the ho­ly Scriptures: but then St. Paul, as if he was afraid of the incivility of the questi­on, does not scruple to say, that there was the least reason to suspect the belief of King Agrippa; and the insinuation of Saint Paul was very powerfull, even almost to his very conversion, Verse 28. then Agrip­pa said, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. And St. Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altoge­ther such as I am, except these bonds. And what expression can be more Courtly, more [Page 58] Genteel, what more effectual to prevail upon their affections, than thus to wish them, in all respects, like himself; but not so miserable, not so unhappy, as to be un­der any confinement of Chains or imprison­ment, as he himself was at that time?

1. Cor. 15. 10. I laboured more abun­dantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Observe here with what care and caution St. Paul dis­trusts his own natural strength and abili­ties as very unsufficient to his conversion, and so presently corrects himself, and a­scribes it more especially to the influence and the conduct of divine Grace. As if he had said, Though I was not wanting to the best of my power, to become a true Disciple of Christ, yet must I freely say, that my conversion is principally to be a­scribed to another Cause: for the Incitati­ons of the will, and the power, and the occasions, and the means to make use of it, is derived from the inspirations of the holy Spirit, which animates and gives life and vigour to all our thoughts, and so dispo­seth us to repentance and amendment of life. See 2 Cor. 3. 5. and Phil. 2. 13.

Mark 9. 24 Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief. How does he reprehend him­self, as if it was almost a presumption in [Page 59] him to speak with so much confidence of his strength of faith, even to our Saviour himself; and therefore as if he were now diffident again, and that his belief was im­perfect, and had some degree of weakness and infirmity; he at last humbly implores the divine assistance, to encrease and fill up the measure of his faith; Lord, help thou my unbelief.

1 Cor. 7. 10. And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord. He pre­sently recolle [...]ts himself, and assures his Corinthians that he gave them not these directions as a mere man, but as an Apostle and a person of divine Inspiration, and so, not I, but the Lord commandeth; and this he said, to give the more force and efficacy to their obedience of the Precept.

Luke 11. 27, 28. A certain woman said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps that gave thee suck. But he said, Yea, rather blessed are all they, that hear the word of God and keep it. As if our Saviour was sensible some might, through a mistaken principle, ascribe too much ho­nour and respect to the blessed Virgin, be­ing the mother of our dear Lord and Savi­our; and therefore, how does Christ him­self most industriously give the preference to those, who live and obey the precepts of the [Page 60] Gospel? Yea, rather blessed are they; so that the moral birth of Jesus Christ in the soul, is a greater blessedness, than the natu­ral birth of him was to the Virgin Mary: to believe and obey him, than to be the na­tural Mother of our Saviour. So that Christ himself lays no great matter of stress or privilege upon such a relation, but as­sures them in another place, to anticipate all mistake upon such an opinion; That he that lives in obedience to his Commands, is equally dear, and related to him, without any distinction, the same is my sister, and father, and mother. Matt. 12. 49, 50.

APOSIOPESIS.

Aposiopesis, a Greek word; and I have more manners, than to pretend to give you the derivation of it.

This Figure, through some violent pas­sion, either of sorrow, fear, shame or an­ger, obligeth us to break off our discourse, and though we seem to conceal some part of it; yet, through the excess of passion, we do but the more sensibly discover our resentments.

1 Kings 217. And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the Kingdom of Israel? The words are spoken with a [Page 61] mighty emphasis, and signify much more than is there expressed; dost thou, or art thou worthy of the name of a King? thou that art so mean spirited, as to grieve thy self upon this refusal of Naboth's Vineyard: and, where is thy princely power and au­thority? Dost thou now govern the King­dom of Israel? is this any mark of thy re­gal Office? is this a sign of thy indispen­sible power? thus tamely to sit down, thus to submit to such a denial; Dost thou now govern?—

Gen. 3. 22.— And now, lest be put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever. These words are spoken in a way of commination, and punishment, to Adam, for his high dis­obedience to God's command; and they imply thus much; since thou hast been so rebellious against me, I will now presently drive thee out of my garden, and suffer thee no longer to be in a possibility of ma­king thy self happy, or to be in my pre­sence.

Luke 19. 42. If thou, even thou, hadst known, at least in this thy day, the things which belong to thy peace! but now they are hid from thy eyes: which contain a most dreadfull denunciation of some future judgments that were to befall the Jewish [Page 62] Nation, that the time for their repentance was now past, beyond all recovery, and therefore they were now to expect nothing else but ruine, and desolation.

Psal. 6. 3. My soul is sore vexed: but thou, O Lord, how long? The sence is imperfect and interrupted; but thou, O Lord, how long? that is, shall thy wrath and infliction of punishments endure? how long wilt thou delay to comfort and refresh my soul, and take away the sad occasions of my grief?

Heb. 13. 1. I sware in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: [...] which words contain a mighty kind of resolution, though the expression is more soft and gentle: as if God should say, in his high displeasure, I will not be found to speak the truth, if now they enter into my rest; which is the highest asseveration that is possible.

APOSTROPHE.

Apostrophe, a turning away, or a dis­like; from [...] from and [...] verto: 'tis a diversion of our discourse to another person, than we intended first person, than we intended first of all, to make our applications; thus a Man, who is in a violent transport of passion, turns [Page 63] himself on all sides, and makes his addres­ses from this, to another person, whom he thinks at least, will be more favourable to the cause of his complaining; nay, some­times he appeals to the most insensible things, to the heavens, to the earth; and in the fury of his passion, makes no difference and distinction; and sometimes, like a mere child, quarrels with any thing, without cause or reason.

2 Sam. 1. 21. Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain upon you, nor fields of offering. How does Holy David, in the violence of his sorrow and lamentation, curse these very places with barrenness, as if they were any way in the least, accessory to the occasions of his mourning, and therefore cruelly wishes them to be dry and fruitless, without bring­ing forth any more fruit, or offerings of sacrifice; but, what is all this expression, what is this severe malediction, but only a more pathetical instance or aggravation of David's infinite sorrow, for the loss of his dearest friend Jonathan? Vers. 26. Thy love to me was wonderfull, passing the love of women: as if there was a more infinite tye of friendship, than in the very affections of the husband to his wife. Ibid. I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: [Page 64] very pleasant hast thou been: How does mournfull David discourse to his dearest Jonathan, as if now he was sensible, or could give attention to the voice of his mourning? and how goes he on to recol­lect the past endearments of his conversati­on, recalling to his mind the joys, the com­placencies, and all those innocent familiari­ties which rendred his company most de­lightfull to him, the sense of which had made such a very strong and mighty im­pression on his soul; that to remember, he was once so very happy in his dearest friendship, and not to be always so, makes him now but the more miserable, and the more sensible of his infinite loss, of his dearest friend?— Ye daughters of Isra­el, weep over Saul:—Oh Jonathan, thou wast slain in the high places.—very pleasant hast thou been.

Isai. 1. 2. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. The thoughts of so much tenderness and so much indulgence, and such ingrati­tude upon it, so highly provokes the Pro­phet, to that degree of wonder and amaze­ment, that in his transport of passion, he seems to fansie the most sensless Crea­tures were capable to be judges of such [Page 65] strange ungratefulness; and therefore ap­peals to them, to make their remarks upon such extravagant and unnatural rebellions.

Sometimes, for want of other objects, we turn our discourse upon our own selves; and so the same person reproves, and is repro­ved by his own self. Thus, in Psal. 43. 5. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou so disquieted within me? Oh trust in God.

Sometimes again we make our addresses and applications to insensible things, as if it was in their power to hear, and favour our petitions; Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. Luke 23. 30. And the apprehensions of their dangers, and the extravagance of their fears may justifie, in some degree at least, such kind of appli­cations, though in themselves very vain, and most unreasonable.

How does St. Paul triumph over death, and the grave? as if they heard his insult­ing eloquence, or were sensible of their o­verthrow. O death, where is thy sting? O Grave, where is thy victory? 1 Cor. 15. v. 55.

Psalm 114. 5. What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? or thou Jordan, [Page 66] that thou wast driven back? The Prophet asks the waters themselves what was the reason of the wonderfull ebb of the red­sea; or the standing still or partitions of the river Jordan: and in the vehemency of his passion, seems to expect from them a suitable answer; Why, says he, were you so very sensible of fear, when like trem­bling and amazed persons, you left your places, and as it were, made up a wall on either side; as if you had forgot your na­tures, and were no longer fluid and mov­ing; tell me then, What ailed you?

PROSOPOPOEIA.

Prosopopoeia, fictio personae, derived from [...] persona, and [...] facio.

This Figure supposeth another person speaking our sence and meaning, and so we introduce him into our discourse. Some­times also this Figure makes inanimate things to hear or speak, as if they were real persons.

Prov 8. 1. Doth not ▪wisdom cry, and understanding put forth her voice?—Unto you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men. Thus Solomon introduceth wisdom under the character of a person speaking and giving instructions, how they [Page 67] should practise, her kind admonitions. Some, though I think, erroneously, understand the Son of God, the second person in the Tri­nity, under this representation of Wisdom, who is called the [...]

But ask now the beasts of the field, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: where holy Job adviseth his friends to go to the beasts and birds for better information; and even they should be able to tell them, that pro­sperity or afflictions were accidental to the pious, or to the ungodly man, and that no man ought to esteem any one wicked, from the sufferance of any calamity.

Prov. 30. 24, 25. The Ants are a peo­ple not strong, but they are exceeding wise, and they prepare their meat in the summer. And now, who would not, at the first sight, almost fansie this was a description of the State of Venice, and a character of their wisdom and forecast in political mat­ters; rather than a commendation of the wisdom and providence of those little In­sects, which here are not inelegantly ter­med a people extreamly wise.

Sometimes we introduce mute and in­sensible Beings, reasoning and discoursing after the manner of Men, Judges 9. 8. See also 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. verses. [Page 68] 2 Kings 14. 9. The Thistle that was in Lebanon, sent to the Cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife; and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trod down the Thistle. How does Jehoash, under this sensible representation, deride the folly and the presumption of Amaziah, King of Judah, who being a petty and inconside­rable Prince in comparison of himself, therefore styles himself the Cedar; as if there was no less difference between them, than there is between the Cedar, the great Monarch of the forest; and the Thi­stle, a very mean and inglorious vegetable; and therefore, not without the highest in­dignation, he scorns the very thoughts of such a poor and despicable Relation.

Song of Solomon, c. 2. v. 7. I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awaken my Love, until he please. How do these very expressions discover, what a mighty tenderness Christ has for his belo­ved Church, that he would not have the least thing to trouble and discompose her? I charge you by the roes, by the example of these fearfull Creatures, which the Hun­ters endeavour to steal gently upon, and not to terrifie and affright them, and force [Page 69] them to fly, and run away, by noise and sudden surprizes.

Gen. 4. 10. The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the earth. Thus when any sin is exceeding great, as that of Murther most certainly is, 'tis an elegant way of speaking, to give it a voice and language to speak, and cry aloud to the God of heaven for justice and punishment upon the Author of it.—Verse 11. And now thou art cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand: Thus the earth it self, though insensible, yet by this Figure is said to curse, as if she was in very great wrath and indignation, upon this inhu­mane and barbarous action.

Psalm 108 2 Does not Holy David call upon his instruments of musick, Awake lute and harp.—and 14. How does he desire the sun, and the moon, and the stars to praise the Lord, and also the fire and bail, snow and vapours, which fulfill his word. And again, he calls upon the more sensible parts of the Creation, upon the beasts and all cattel, and creeping things, and feathered fowl, to sing their praises to God their Maker.

Psalm 77. 16. The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee, and were a­fraid; [Page 70] the depths also were troubled. Thus sight and fears, and disquietness are appli­cable to things insensible, to give us a live­ly sense of God's majesty and power, which strike terror and amazement into all things. Psalm 114. 3 The waters saw thee, and fled; as if they were under great fears and apprehensions of his coming, and so with great precipitation retired suddenly.

Of Figures which we sometimes make use of in a way of Dialogue.

APORIA.

Aporia, a word derived from [...], to be doubtfull in mind, when we reason and consider with our selves, as if we were uncertain either what to say, or doe.

Luke 16. 3. Then the unjust steward said within himself, What shall I doe? for my Lord taketh away from me the ste­wardship: I cannot dig, to beg I am ashamed. Thus the steward debates with himself what course of life is most suitable to his own humour and disposition, and that la­bour or poverty were equally disagreeable.

Mark 11. 31, 32 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, If we say, The baptism of John was from heaven, he will [Page 71] say, Why then did ye not believe? but if we say, Of men, they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed: and they answered, We cannot tell.

ANACOENOSIS.

Anacoenosis, from [...], and [...], to communicate with others. This Figure teacheth us to advise, deliberate, or argue with others concerning the expedience of our actions.

Phil. 1. 22, 23, 24. What I shall chuse, I wot not, for I am in a strait between two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better; nevertheless to a­bide in the flesh is more needfull for you. How is our Apostle here very dubious and wa­vering in his mind? Sometimes he debates within himself his own particular profit, and presently concludes, it was highly ad­vantageous for him to die and to be with his dear Saviour. And sometimes also he considers the good and benefit of the Church, which seems yet to require his more im­mediate Care and personal presence; and thus what was so expedient to his private interest, was very inconsistent with the publick safety and prosperity of the Christi­an [Page 72] Church. And these thoughts, and these considerations sway his inclinations here, and there, to the great distraction of his mind.

Psalm 139. 7. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? The question perhaps seems to insinuate that God's presence was confined to time and place; but if you observe, 'tis rather a stronger Confirmation that God is every where present to all persons in all manner of places, and that no man can be, where God is not.

Luke 11. 18. If Satan be divided a­gainst Satan, how shall his king dom stand? Thus from the evil Consequences of di­vision, and from the manifest absurdity that so wise a being as the Devil is, should ever conspire to destroy himself, our Savi­our prooes his miracles to be performed by a divine power.

Acts 4. 19. But Peter and John said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto you more than God, judge ye. And the Appeal it self was so just and equitable, that even in their own partial opinion, they could not but de­cide the question in favour of the Apostles.

Mal. 1. 6. If then I be a father, when is my honour? if I be a master, where is [Page 73] my fear? If then you grant me the ante­cedent, why are you so absurd, as to deny me the consequence.

Jerem. 23. 23. Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar of? Is not this the severest reprehension to those, who conceive such narrow thoughts of God, as to think the distance of places can hinder his knowledge, or void his presence, or render his power ineffectual?

PROLEPSIS.

Prolepsis, anticipatio: by this Figure we give a diversion to any thing that may be objected against us, by answering by way of prevention, the very objection our selves.

Rom. 11. 19, 21, 22. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well, because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high minded, but fear. For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. St. Paul here obviates the objection of the Gentiles who were inserted into the body of the Church, and the unbelieving Jews, who are here styled the broken branches, were rejected: this he tells the Gentiles, was a mighty favour of God, so [Page 74] to incoporate them with his Church; but then he also assures them, that they must not so far presume upon their present state and vocation; For if God spare not the natural branches, that is, the Jews them­selves, take heed lest he also spare not the [...]. For if by your disobedience you now incurr God's displeasure, you cannot in reason, but expect to suffer the same unhappy fare with the Jewish Nation.

St. Paul, discoursing of the resurrection, resolves a difficult question concerning the mode and manner of the resurrection, and what sort of body shall be raised up from the grave. But some will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? 1 Cor. 15. 35, 36. Thou soul. Our Saviour stifles their objection, by of­fering another, so very difficult, that they were unwilling to answer it. Matth. 21. 24, 25. I will also ask you one question, which if you tell me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I doe these things. The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? This was such a Di­lemma, and the resolution of it so highly inconvenient, that they pretend ignorance, and answer, We cannot tell.

Rom. 9. 19, 20. Thou wilt say them un­to me, Why doth he yet find fault? for [Page 75] who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou, that repliest against God? Thus St. Paul anticipates their false opinion, assuring them that the work of grace is of God's mere free-will; and, if he doth deprive some of it, he is not in the least guilty of any injustice to them, since he is under no obligations to conferr it upon them; and this very subtraction of his grace, upon their impenitency, and continuance in a vicious course of life, is no cause of their sin and wickedness; but on the contrary, their disobedience and sin­full life is the reason why God withdraws the influence of his holy spirit from them; and so our sins chase away the holy spirit, and render its operation ineffectual to our conversion, and so the heart of Pharaoh is hardned.

EPITROPE.

Epitrope, from [...], concedo. By this Figure we often grant a thing not un­willingly to obtain another, and show more effectually the inconveniency of such a Practice or Principle.

Romans 2. 17. Behold, thou art cal­led a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God; and art confident [Page 76] that thou thy self art a guide to the blind. Thou therefore that teachest another, teach­est thou not thy self? As if he said, I grant thou art an Instructer of the foolish, and a teacher of babes; but then, Why is thy conversation so unsuitable to thy doctrine? Where is thy example? Where is thy practice? and, Why are they so disagree­able to thy external profession? thus, How does our Apostle seem to concede all they desire? to prove at last upon them; that their practice was not consonant to their principles; and from that absurdity, more severely reprehends them.

Judges 10. 14. Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of trouble: This seems no small encouragement to their practice of idolatry; but in reality, 'tis the strongest dissuasion from it; and virtually implies the disability of other gods to save and de­liver them in times of danger.

1 Kings 22. 15. The King said to Mi­caiah, Shall we go against Ramoth gilead to battel, or shall we forbear? and he an­swered him, Go and prosper: Where the Prophet seems to encourage them to the battel, though he easily foresaw the dan­gerous consequence of the war.

[Page 77]1 Cor. 14 38. But if any man be igno­rant, let him be ignorant still: that is, If after such a plain and positive proof of my ministery, he will nevertheless resolve to continue ignorant of it, let it be at his own peril; where the concession is nothing else but a discouragement to his want of understanding, and reflection in a matter of so high importance.

See Amos 4. 4, 5. where the Prophet, in a way of derision, seems to approve of their idolatrous practives.

Prov. 6. 10. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: As if he said, You do well to in­dulge your self in ease and slothfulness; but then at last, how does the wise Man ruturn upon the Sluggard; so shall thy Po­verty come, as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed Man; and so more fully convinceth him of the great inconve­niences of an idle way of living.

James 2. 19. Thou believest that there is one God, thou doest well; the devils also be­lieve and tremble: Where after this sort of commendation of their faith, he at last tells them, that such a belief, without a suitable practice, is vain and ineffectual, and that even the devils themselves have a speculative faith.

[Page 78]Matth. 5. 46. If ye love them that love you, what reward have you? do not even the Publicans the same? I will, if you please, saith the Apostle, allow the matter of fact; yet, what use can you make of it▪ where is the commendation? where is the vertue of such a practice, if the worst of men doe the very same?

These following are called secondary Figures of a word.

PLEONASMUS.

Pleonasmus, you know, Sir, is a Greek word, and 'tis uncivil to explain it in your company.

This Figure makes use of more words than are necessary; but they give a much stronger accent and emphasis to our dis­courses.

Deuter. 33. 6. O foolish people, and un­wise! Which sort of expression still more eminently denotes their want of wisdom, and discretion.

Prov. 27. 2. Let another man praise thee, and not thy own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips: And this variety of words is not so unusefull to engage our thoughts, to consider with more attention, [Page 79] the subject matter of our discourse, and the importance of it.

See Deuter. 13. 4.—

John 1. 3. [...] All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made: And the variation of the sence in other words was very convenient to assure us, that Christ was before the world; and that all things in it, were the works of his hand; and from the universality of his crea­tive power, he must be omnipotent, and therefore God; for what less than infi­nite power it self, can make and produce all things?

DIALYTON.

Dialyton, from [...], to dissolve. This Figure pretends, through a mighty hast and vehemence of speech, to use no con­junction, to render our discourse the more emphatical and earnest; nay, should we in­sert the Copula, our discourse would seem too slow and heavy, and lose much of its life and vigour, and expressiveness.

1 Tim. 3. 2, 3. For men shall be lovers of themselves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, un­thankfull, [Page 80] unholy. Thus the Verse runs off presently, with more quickness and presently, than if the Particle and was fre­quently interpos'd.

Rom. 1. 29. Being filled with all un­righteousness, fornication, wickedness, co­vetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, debate, deceit, malignity, &c. As if the Apostle was in such hast to run over the chief heads of their immoralities, that he had no time for their connexion. To the same purpose, See Rom. 3. 11, 12. and 1 Cor. 13. 4, 5, 6, 7. and Psal. 66. 1, 2, 3. all which are disjoined and without a Co­pulative. See also Mark 7. 21, 22.

POLYSYNDETON.

Polysyndeton, derived from [...], mul­tum, and [...], conjunctus. This Fi­gure is contrary to the former, and very often employs the copulative, to tie and join words together. See 1 Cor. 13. 1, 2, 3. Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, and have not charity, I am be­come as sounding brass, or a tinkling cym­bal; and though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all know­ledge, &c. where the Copulative and is not inelegantly so often used, though the [Page 81] ear is the best Judge of the harmony of sounds, when 'tis proper to use it, or lay it aside.

Rom. 8. 38, 39. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things pre­sent, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God. I place this instance under this Figure; but if you think it rather belongs to Dialyton, nor, being a disjunctive particle; because you are my friend, I will not stand with you for so small a matter.

See Psal. 18. 2. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer: The Copulative and makes the sence pass on more leisurely, and so the words still make a deeper impression upon the mind.

ANTITHESIS.

Antithesis represents terms contrary to each other, to convey to the mind a more sensible and lively image of our discourse, by such an opposition in the words.

Prov. 14 29. He that is slow to wrath, is of great wisdom; but he that is of an hasty mind, exalteth folly.

[Page 82]Psalm 126. 5. They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy: where the opposition of the terms more sensibly instructs us, that though afflictions are at present matter of trouble, yet in the end, they are ex­treamly beneficial.

Matt. 16. 25. For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his life for my sake, shall save it: though not in this world, yet in the next, even to all eternity.

See Prov. 28. 1. and 29. 2.—

Prov. 11. 24. There is that scattereth, and yet encreaseth; but not through pro­digality, and want of care, but through the prudent offices of charity.

See also Prov. 15. 18. 28. 1. Isai. 59. 9.

Secondary Figures in a Sentence.

PARRHESIA.

Parrhesia, derived from [...] and [...] This Figure takes the courage and liberty to speak freely our sence of things which are displeasing to us; but we then must use this sort of Figure extream nicely in our reprehension of Superiours; only in cases of the greatest extremity, and when our duty obligeth us to such a freedom.

[Page 83]Gal. 1. 10. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the ser­vant of God. Where he freely tells them, that it was a different thing to please God, and men; and consequently insinuates, that their ways were disagreeable to God's com­mands. And in Gal. 3. 1. O foolish Ga­latians, who hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth? Was not this a very harsh expression, to call their prudence so much into question; and again, Who hath bewitched you?

St. Paul adviseth his beloved Timothy to preach the word, be instant in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort, 2 Tim 4. v. 2. And he taught them as one having authority, and not as the Scribes, Matth. 7. 29.

EROTESIS.

Erotesis, from [...], interrogo. This Figure is of excellent use, and carries in it more force and vehemence; for bare affir­mations have no life nor spirit in them, and are less powerfull to influence our sense and reason.

Gen. 4. 7. If thou dost well, shalt thou not be accepted? That is, I will most [Page 84] certainly receive thee, and thy Sacri­fice.

Mark 12. 24. Do you not therefore err, because ye know not the Scriptures, neither the power of God? Where the question being express'd with the sign of negation, gives still the stronger force and emphasis to his discourse; and is as much as to say, You are extreamly mistaken.

Psalm 8. 4. Lord, what is man, that thou hast such respect unto him? Where the question implies the greatest diminuti­on; as if man was so very inconsiderable, and unworthy of the least notice.

How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Where the interrogation carries in it a manifest contradiction to our sense and reason: and 'tis no wonder if it was so ab­surd and so unconceivable to understand the words in their literal sence and signi­cation.

John 3. 4. Nicodemus said, How can a man be born when he is old? And truly to conceive that our Saviour did speak of a natural birth, and not of a moral change of life; a state of regeneration; was not the least absurdity.

Matth. 21. 25. The baptism of John, whence was it, from heaven or of men? And the question carried with it such an [Page 85] evident conviction, that which way soever they answered it, they did equally confute their own selves.

Isai. 14. 12. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning? how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations? And in Ver. 10. Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like us? Thus to see a mighty Prince tumbling down from the highest pitch of his honour and glory; to see his crown and Sceptre falling to the ground; the mighty man to become so very weak and impotent; is a consideration ve­ry surprizing: What! Is this the man that was so powerfull, that he made the earth to tremble, and did shake the king­doms? What! Is this the man? Bless me! What a change is here! How are the mighty fallen?

Job 3. 11. Why died I not from the womb? why is light given to a man, whose way is hid? And in Verse 20. Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul? who long for death, but is cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures. And Vers. 22. Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad when they can find their grave. Thus, How is holy Job full of expostulations; [Page 86] breathing out sad complainings, that he cannot find any rest, or any cessation from his miseries; and enjoy the kindness of a grave.

PARENTHESIS.

Parenthesis is nothing else but the inter­position of one or more words within ano­ther Sentence, the sence of which, without the insertion, is of its self entire and per­fect. 'Tis a rule, that a Parenthesis should neither be very long, nor very frequent, lest our discourse grow obscure, and not so intelligible. Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more. 2 Cor. 11. v. 23.

PERIPHRASIS.

Periphrasis, circumlocutio. This Figure describes a thing in more words than are necessary, for the sake of Illustration, or to avoid some Idea's not so pleasing to the mind.

Job 18. 14. Death is called The king of terrors.

John 21. 20. The disciple whom Jesus loved: which modest circumlocution Saint John often useth, to signifie himself, who [Page 87] was the beloved Disciple of his Dear Sa­viour.

Gen. 15. 15. And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace: which is a softer expres­sion, and not so terrifying, as to say, Thou shalt die.

Eccles. 10. 20. where the wise Man ad­viseth us not to speak evil of a King, tho' in the most secret places; because such dis­courses are published very unaccountably; For a bird in the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter: still varying the same sence in o­ther words.

Hab. 3. 17. Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vine: although the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; al­though the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls; yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. See what a noble Con­fidence the Prophet has in his God, even in the greatest extremities; and how ele­gantly doth he express the Particulars with a decent Periphrasis?

SYNONYMIA.

Synonymia is a Figure that useth seve­ral words of the same signification; be­cause we fansie that one word alone, is not sufficient to express our sence, and to make a deep Impression upon our Audience.

Psal. 119. 60. I made hast, and delayed not to keep thy commandments: As if the Psalmist could not sufficiently set forth his readiness to obey God, without a repetition of the same sence in other words.

Prov. 4. 14, 15. Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men; and the variety of the phrase renders the dissuasion more forcible to us.

Prov. 6. 4 Give not sleep to thy eyes, nor slumber to thy eye-lids; that is, Be ex­treamly watchfull and restless in thy endea­vours to accomplish this design.

HYPOTYPOSIS.

Hypotyposis, from [...], to represent or describe to the life. This Figure pre­sents the objects so very lively to the mind, that we are apt to fansie we hear, and see them continually, as if they were really presented to our very senses.

[Page 89]Psalm 37. 35, 36. I have seen the wick­ed in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay-tree; yet he passed away, and lo he was not; yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. This is a very live­ly Character of the prosperous condition of the ungodly man, and of the most suddain ruine, and destruction of him: how does his image vanish away? how is his memo­ry soon forgotten? oh! how suddenly does he perish, and come to a fearfull end?

Psalm 124. 6. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the hand of the fowler; the snare is broken, and we are delivered: and what can give us such a lively sence of our narrow deliverance, as this sensible descri­ption of a bird escaping out of the very hand of the fowler; such an image as this conveys to the mind, that our preservation was as great, as our very danger.

Prov. 24. 30. I passed by the field of the slothfull, and by the vineyard of the man destitute of understanding; and lo it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down; which give us a very sensible notion of the sad effects of sloth and idleness; and how insensible the man is of his poverty and misery coming upon him, say­ing, Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little [Page 90] folding of the hands to sleep; till he is re­duced to the last extremities of want and misery.

Song of Solomon, ch. 2. v. 10, 11, 12, 13. My well beloved spake, and said unto me, Arise my Love, my fair one, and come away; for behold the winter is passed, the rain is changed, and is gone away; the flow­ers appear in the earth; the time of the sing­ing of the birds is come; the voice of the turtle-dove is heard in our land; the fig­tree hath brought forth her young figs, and the vines with their small grapes have cast a savour: Arise my Love, my fair one, and come away. This is a most elegant de­scription of God's infinite kindness and love to his Church, and with what tender Invi­tations he calls and desires holy Men, to forsake the world, and arise, and follow him: the other parts of this representati­on signifie the coming of the Messias, who, like the spring of the year, gives new vigor, new life and pleasantness to the world.

Lam. 1. 4, 5, 8, 9. which presents to the fancy a sad, but very lively Image of famine and misery.

Isai. 4. 7, 8. Ah sinfull nation, your land is waste, your cities are burnt with fire, strangers devour your land, and it is deso­late, like the overthrow of strangers: that [Page 91] is, so entirely wasted, as if they desired no kind of advantage by the preservation of it from ruine and destruction.

Isai. 5. 5, 6. And the daughters of Sion shall remain like a cottage in a vineyard, like a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, and like a besieged city; and I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be trodden down; I will lay it waste, it shall not be cut nor digged; but briars and thorns shall grow up; I will also command the clouds, that they rain no rain upon it. What a dismal state of misery is this? Nothing here is presented to thy view, but a dis­mal scene of destruction, and famine, and misery.

ANTHROPOPATHIA.

Anthropopathia. This Figure represents God speaking or doing after the manner of men; and ascribing to him the parts of body, or any thing else belonging to our humane nature.

Thus Christ is called the head over all things to the Church, Eph. 1. 22. And God is called the head of Christ, 1 Cor. 11. 3. in respect of his humane nature, and office of mediation; for in respect of his divinity, the Son is equal to the Father, [Page 92] as appears from John 5. 18. for Christ makes himself equal with God in power, and operation, v. 19. for whatsoever things the father doth, these also doth the son; likewise by reason of unity of essence, and perfect will, and operation, which is be­tween me and my father; and this equality of Christ, to God the Father is very evi­dent from Phil. 2. 6. Who being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God: thought it not; that is to say, Christ, without the least usurpation, was truly equal to God; and unless Christ was truly God, how otherwise will you make out his mighty humiliation, when he was made in the likeness of man, and made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant: All this seems a mighty great diminution of himself; as if he had now brought himself, as it were, to nothing, by this low and mighty con­descension, [...], evacuavit, Christ did almost annihilate himself, in the debase­ment of himself to such a low and abject condition of life, as to be found in the fa­shion of a man: and this profound humi­liation of Christ, upon his appearance in our nature, can no otherwise be rationally explained, but from the extream distance and opposition that there was between his [Page 93] divine Majesty and Glory, as he was God; and the most abject and despicable state of his humanity. Where otherwise can be such a mighty debasement of himself, if he was only man? Where otherwise is there such a vast diminution, or such a strange humility; but only from the mighty diffe­rence and disproportion between his divine and his humane nature; as he was God, as well as man; which, in comparison to his infinite nature and essence, was indeed no­thing; here then was his mighty conde­scension very manifest; here his great hu­miliation of himself was extreamly vi­sible.

Sometimes God is represented in Scrip­ture as if he had a face: as, the Lord talk­ed to Moses face to face; not that there was such a likeness; but only, that God was then present to Moses after the most illustrious and signal manner; revealing himself with the greatest and familiar In­timacy to him.

Sometimes God again is endued with a soul, with acts of hatred and abhorrency belonging to it. See Isai. 1. 14. and Psal. 11. 6. He that delighteth in wickedness, doth my soul abhor.

Sometimes God is described with hands, The right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty [Page 94] things to pass; that is, his power is very wonderfull in operation.

Sometimes God is said to have eyes, Psalm 11. 4. For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings, Job 34. v. 21. See also Psalm 139. 2. That is, God most clearly knows and understandeth all the actions and designs of men, and perfectly discerns the rise and progress, and the consequence of his thoughts, even before they do actually spring up in his Soul; thus David, Thou, O Lord, under­standest my thoughts long before, Psal. 139. v. 1. But what need I introduce more Texts of Scripture, to prove that God is often described to us after the manner and fa­shion of a man; such a sensible representa­tion of himself to us, is an infinite conde­scention in the Almighty; but then, let us be most extreamly carefull, that we con­ceive him under no humane shape or figure; as some very grosly picture God Almighty. Whereas God did purposely appear to Mo­ses without any body or figuration of parts, to prevent all kind of similitude and like­ness in our representations of him; which must of necessity be the highest diminution and injury to the spiritual nature and es­sence of the Great God. When therefore you hear of God's hand, there must be [Page 95] present to your mind an Idea of his active, or his creative Power. And when you read of his Almighty arm stretched out still, you must to your self form a notion of his irresistible strength and dominion. And when feet and walking are attributed to God, such metaphorical expressions sug­gest to you, that God, by the immensity of his presence, is every where; for how can such bodily parts, or the peculiar offices of them, be in the least degree necessary to such an infinite and spiritual Being? Why should God have eyes, who is Sight it self? or, Why should he have any feet, to go or walk, who by the infinity of his divine na­ture, is omnipresent? and, How can God possibly go or come, who at the same in­stant of time, equally fills every place; that he cannot be absent from one part of the World, and present to the other part of it? and pray, What occasion has God for a hand or an arm, who performs all things by the mere efficacy, and virtue of his will? Let there be light, and there was light. Why should God have ears to hear, who perfectly knows all the secret motions of our very thoughts, and all their consequences, even before the actual determinations of them? or, tell me, What occasion has God for a tongue, whose very thoughts execute [Page 96] his high commands, and accomplish all his pleasure. Such parts and members as these, are indeed very necessary to us, because all our purposes, and all our designs are vain and ineffectual, and cannot be put in exe­cution, without the mediation of such or­gans; but the Almighty will of God commands obedience, and a most ready sub­mission and compliance from every thing in the Creation, and by his pleasure only, they receive, or lose, their being, their life and operation.

Hos. 11. 8, 9. How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Is­rael? how shall I make thee as Admab? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim; for I am God, and not man. Thus are humane passions attri­buted to God himself; and, How is he represented here expostulating with himself as a Being full of mercy and compassion; and most infinitely desirous to abstain from punishment, even when their sins did highly deserve the greatest infliction of temporal evils? as if God had said, Thou deserve [...] destruction no less than those wicked cities See Gen. 19. 23. and Deut. 29. 23. Ye [...] [Page 97] my commiseration is so infinite to thee, that I cannot suffer my self to be so migh­ty rigorous, as to show my displeasure in thy ruine and destruction. How full of condescension are such passionate expressi­ons? how usefull and how beneficial are they, to assure us of his infinite love and affection to the sons of men; That he is not, as some represent him, a God inexc­rable, or void of compassion, or that he takes any complacency in the misery of his Creatures; but he even spares us, when we deserve punishment, and in his wrath, thinketh upon mercy. And now, if some­times God did not thus condescend to dis­cover himself in such mighty pathetical strains of love and tenderness to us, we might fansie there was some kind of truth in those impious and pernicious doctrines which tell us, God design'd to make man, to make him miserable, even from all eter­nity; but how unworthy are such notions of God, who is infinite in goodness and mercy? how contradictory to his loving­kindness to us? Not willing that any should perish, but that all should come, and be saved.

Eph. 4. 30. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God; where the Passion of sorrow is applied to the Holy Ghost, as a personal act; and cannot, with any propriety, be [Page 98] ascribed to a mere power or faculty, as some fansie the Holy Spirit, and not to be a real Person. Grieve not then the Holy Ghost, the third Person in the Blessed Trinity, lest he withdraw his comfort, his joy, and conso­lation, from your heart; lest the blessed influence of his grace departeth from you, as from an unpleasant conversation.

Gen. 6. 6. God is said to repent. See also 1 Sam. 15. 11, 29. Not that there is the least change or alteration in God, but only in the object, in the works of his hand, which were once good, but now are evil; for God himself is unchangeable, and always the same; but 'tis his eternal will and pleasure, that wicked men should be miserable, and good men happy; either here, in this world; or at least in the world to come; which always is accom­plished in some respect or other, though we are sometimes unable to make the dis­covery of it, we cannot look into the hearts of men, and there see their joys, or their sorrows, growing up in their minds; and therefore how often do we make a false estimate of the condition of the ungodly man, and fansie him to be at ease and qui­et in his thoughts, and to live with plea­sure and satisfaction; who, upon reflection upon his past actions, and upon expectati­on [Page 99] of death and judgment, is often a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, full of trouble and anxiety; and thinks him­self unhappy, and miserable, even beyond all expression.

Thus, when God is said to descend, which implies a local motion, a motion from one place into another; yet the phrase by interpretation signifies, that God did there reveal and manifest himself, Gen. 11. 5.

Gen. 18. 21. I will go down and see whether they have done altogether accord­ing to the cry of it, which is come to me, and if not, I will know; here God him­self discourseth, as a man to his neighbour; as if he was not a Being of infinite know­ledge; but did receive his notice and infor­mation of worldly affairs, by a gradual course of thinking and observation; and by far­ther enquiries into second causes. Thus God suffers himself to be discribed like a Judge, who repairs to the place where the matter in question was transacted, that by his personal appearance, he may more fully and easily assure himself of the innocence, or the guilt, of the accused person; and one rea­son why God makes use of such a form of speaking, is, to certifie us, that there is not always one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; but that he rewards or pu­nisheth [Page 100] man, according to the rules and equity of Justice; and not with unadvise­able rashness and indeliberation.

And the Lord called unto Adam, and said, Where art thou? Not that this kind of question in the least signifies, that God possibly could be ignorant where Adam was; but this way of speaking is rather a for­mal citation, or a summons to Adam who seems unwilling to come and appear be­fore his offended God; being extreamly conscious of his sin and guiltiness, and of his fall from the happy state of innocence; and now beholding a mighty train of mi­series, which were to follow him as a just retribution for his disobedience. One of the Fathers is of opinion, this expression, Where art thou? is rather a severe kind of reprehension to Adam; as if God said, to terrifie him more exceedingly, From what grace and innocence art thou fallen? Come then, and appear before me; Where art thou? and behold Adam was afraid.

And God blessed them, saying, Be fruit­full, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let the fowl multiply in the earth; which kind of phrases denote no­thing else, but his divine appointment, of the encrease of his Creatures in their kind for certainly you can never be so unkind [Page 101] to your own sence and reason, as to fansie God speaks to his irrational Creatures, as if they were capable to hear, and obey his pleasure; but God rather dictates to their proper natures; and by natural instinct and inclinations he has given them power, and virtue, and efficacy, to propagate and pre­serve their kind.

Isai. 5. 6. I will command the clouds, that they rain no more upon it: and now, who supposes that God himself presently sent strict orders to the Clouds, to keep back their fall of waters; for the expressi­an imports no more but this, that God, by the course of natural causes, so disposeth things in heaven, and earth, that at such a time the Clouds of heaven should be void of water; so that he orders second causes, and the operations of them, not according to the present exigency, but by his infinite prospect into futurity, he does antecedent­ly so manage every thing, that nothing falls out unexpectedly, but according to his will and pleasure.

Psalm 18. 10. He rode upon a Cherub, and did fly; yea, God did fly upon the wings of the wind; which expression con­veys to our mind a more sensible notion of speed; God did not ride, but fly, even upon the very wings of the wind, which [Page 102] is the highest degree of speedy motion that possibly can be describ'd, to frame in us an Idea of his incredible swiftness.

And now, because God is so indulgent to submit himself to our Capacities, must we presently pretend to describe him ac­cording to the narrow proportions of man. How does God baffle us, how does he put us to silence, when he is pleas'd to ask us questions beyond the compass of our know­ledge? Hath the rain a Father, or who hath begotten the drops of dew? Job 38. 28. that is, Am not I, the Lord, and the Au­thor of these, and is there any one besides?

Job 38. 19. Where is the way, where the light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof? that is, No man knows the particular points of the Sun's rising or setting; and now, that God may make us still more sensible of our ignorance, Hast thou, says God, entered into the springs of the seas? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth? that is, Thou art perfectly a stranger to the whole course of nature. Vers. 22, 23. Hast thou en­tred into the treasures of snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of hail, which I re­served against the time of trouble, against the day of war and battle? All which as­sure us, that we are unacquainted with the [Page 103] secret cause and origin, use, and producti­on of these things; and how, and when, God lays in his mighty treasures of storm and tempest, to confound his Enemies. The falling of snow and rain may seem ve­ry accidental, and according to the usual course of nature; but I am satisfied, that the wind and the waters are laid up, as in a treasury; and when God pleaseth, he sends them abroad, as well for the preser­vation of some, as for the destruction of other people. Thus do I conclude this Fi­gure with these difficult and amazing que­stions, to let you know, that although God condescends to speak to us in a familiar way; yet sometimes too he thinks it con­venient to let us know our distance, and our ignorance too, when he proposeth such questions to us; as declare his infinite power and greatness Such questions as are above our comprehension, and so they should make us more sensible of our weak­ness and infirmity.

CHARIENTISMUS.

Charientismus, a Figure when we return a very mild, and gentle answer, although we are not insensible of the provocation.

John 18. 23. Jesus answered him, If [Page 104] I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why smitest thou me? How does our Blessed Saviour not render evil, for evil? How does he patiently suffer the affront, and meekly expostulate for the In­jury he received? and, How does the soft Answer turn their wrath away? Prov. 15. 1.

When St. Paul was interrupted by Fe­stus, with a reproachfull language, telling him that he was mad, Acts 26. 24. How does our Apostle return a soft and submis­sive Answer to him, not without the great­est deference? But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus, v. 25.

Matth. 15. 26, 27. When the woman of Canaan importuned our Saviour to work a wonderfull Cure upon her daughter, who was tormented with an evil spirit, our Sa­viour tells her that, It was not convenient to take the childrens bread, and cast it to dogs; that is, It was not proper to work those Miracles among the heathen, which were chiefly design'd for God's own peculiar People, the Jews; observe, how they are here called the children, and the heathen are termed the dogs. And what expression can be more harsh, more severe, or more likely to provoke the meekest Soul to some undecent and passionate expression. But how extreamly civil, how courteous, how [Page 105] very obliging is her Answer? and she said, Truth Lord; and so still gives him the greatest Title of respect and honour; 'Tis true, my Lord, I cannot deny what you please to say; Yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters table: as if she had said, The dogs do receive the re­mainders and scatterings which fall from the table; so even I my self, who am a Gentile, or call me, if you please, by the vilest name; so long as you will but suffer me to enjoy the same favour with the Jews; I can easily dispense with any such infamous or reproachfull language. Such humiliation, such an humble disposition of Soul, and such importunity, can never be unacceptable to Almighty God; and Hea­ven it self cannot but favour such desires. And you find, our Saviour himself was in no small admiration, and mightily surpri­zed with this meek and humble insinuati­on, especially after so great a provocation; for the very sound of the word, so applied, is very ignominious; and so Christ present­ly tells her, O woman, great is thy faith! be it unto thee even as thou wilt: Thus an importunate Prayer, accompanied with such a deep sence of our own unworthiness, is still the nearest way to receive and enjoy all the blessed consequences of our Petitions; [Page 106] and Heaven it self is overcome with such a pleasing violence. Thus, you see, the wo­man was not insensible of the provocation; and yet, how very courtly, how genteel is her Answer? True, my Lord; yet the ve­ry dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters table; and let me beg you to be so kind, as to suffer me now, with them, to enjoy such a kind of favour, such a su­perfluity, and so Christ himself breaks out in amazement of such a most kind, beseech­ing, unexpected reply; O woman, great is thy faith: thy belief is mighty strange and wonderfull to me, and so very forcible, so prevailing with me, that I cannot possibly deny what you desire.

APODIOXIS.

Apodioxis. This Figure, not without scorn and indignation, rejects any sort of argument, as very absurd in it self, and not reducible to practice.

Matth. 16. 23. How does Christ re­prove St. Peter when he importunately de­sired our Saviour not to suffer persecution; Get thee behind me, Satan, thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things of God: This is a reflection upon our Apostle of the highest nature, and cer­tainly nothing less, than the greatest pro­vocation [Page 107] could extort such expressions from Christ himself. And now, Who would think that St. Peter, who was so extreamly displeasing to our Blessed Saviour, and so highly condemned by him, as to call him Satan, a word of the greatest infamy and reproach; should, of all the Apostles, be the only head of the Christian Church; as if the rest, were not as equally con­cerned in the foundation of Christianity as St. Peter himself; whereas all the Pre­ference that was given to this Apostle, was rather with respect to his age, than to any authority and power he received as an Apostle. Indeed, was there any preemi­nence among the Apostles, I should think St. John deserves to be called the very chief of them all; because he is remark­ably distinguished by Christ himself, and styled in the Gospel, the disciple whom Je­sus loved, with more expression of kind­ness, and affection, than all the rest: and, Who can be so well qualified, to be su­pream in the Church, as that Person, who was dearest to his Saviour? And therefore certainly most deserving in himself: Whereas St. Peter was guilty of the great­est Apostacy, in his obstinate denial of Christ, even to abjuration of him, Matth. 26. 74. even when he had given his Savi­our [Page 108] the highest kind of assurance, that though all the Apostles did forsake him, yet, for his part, he was resolved, not to doe the like; and yet was he the first de­serter of him.

Acts 8. 20. But Peter said, Thy money perish with thee, because thou thoughtest that the gift of God may be purchased with money. This was an imprecation of the highest nature.

Psalm 50. 21. Thou thoughtest that I was such a one as thy self; but I will re­prove thee, for thy sins, and set them be­fore thee.

Matth. 7. 16. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? How then can you, being evil, speak good things? Matth. 12. 34. and the very absurdity of the que­stion was too manifest to require an an­swer.

LITOTES.

Litotes. This Trope we make use of, when we say not so much as we think; yet such a way of speaking is often much more forcible, and makes stronger impres­sions upon us. 'Tis, in short, a sort of Fi­gure extreamly decent, and never used without modesty and discretion.

[Page 109] What, shall I praise you in this? I praise you not. Rom. 11. 21. Which was a softer way of reprehension, to tell his Ro­mans, when they were guilty of very great irreverence in the Blessed Sacrament, that he could not much commend them, upon that account; and though the expression seems very mild, and favourable, and gen­teel, What shall I say unto you? I praise you not. Yet it really signifies thus much, I do highly blame, and discommend such kind of practices.

I hear there be divisions among you, and I partly believe it? As if the Apostle was not willing to tell them he was certainly assured of it; but rather chuses to say, that his information was from some ru­mour and report abroad, and then de­clares he had some reason to believe there was separations among them, and this he mentions in such a way, to correct and reform them more effectually and make them still more sensible of the sin and dan­ger of division; and so is, as it were, un­willing to think them so ill Christians, as to be guilty of so great and so dangerous a sin.

Psalm 51. 17. A broken and a contrite heart, O Lord, shalt thou not despise: which is spoken with a mighty sence of his [Page 110] own unworthiness, and the expression im­plys a great deal more, than barely that God will not reject or disregard him that is so penitentially sorrowfull for his sins; for it signifies, that God will graciously pardon and receive such a person into his favour and friendship.

Psalm 9. 12. He will not forget the cry of the poor and humble; that is, God will be certainly mindfull and remember their afflictions and miseries, and at last severe­ly punish their cruel Oppressors.

Job 31. 16. If I have withheld the poor from their desire. Vers. 17. Or have eaten my morsel my self alone. Vers. 19. If I have suffered any to perish for want of cloathing, or let the poor go naked, without a covering▪ Thus, with what modesty and reservation does holy Job speak of his own justice, his hospitality, his charity to the poor, not with­out some extenuation of it.

SARCASMUS.

Sarcasmus. A most severe way of mock­ery and derision, not unlike an Irony. Un­less that 'tis commonly malicious, or more scoffing in its kind.

Psalm 103. 3. They that carried us a­way captive required of us a song; and [Page 111] they that wasted us, required of us mirth; saying, Sing us one of the songs of Sion. This must be spoken not without con­tempt and scorn, and derision to them; to desire at a time so very unseasonable, when they were slaves and captives, mourning under great oppressions, to commemorate their former days of joy and liberty; such a request must needs be highly provoking, and give them still but a fresher sense of the present miseries; especially considering the persons who importune them to be joy­full and pleasant; for they were the lords and masters over them; and therefore they tell them their petition was then extream­ly improper, and most disagreeable; How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?

Exod. 14. 11. And they said unto Mo­ses, Because there were no Graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away, to die in the wil­derness? A sarcastical way of speaking, as if they said, We could die, and be in our graves with less trouble in our own land; why then are you so barbarous to us, as to tire us out with long and tedious journeys, only to kill and destroy us in the wilderness; wherefore are you so unmer­cifull, why do you deal so unkindly with us?

[Page 112]Gen. 3. 22. And the Lord said, Be­hold the man is become like one of us. Was not this a severe reflection upon the fall of Adam? and a mighty reproach to his weakness and infirmity, when he listned to the false suggestions of the Devil, tel­ling them, Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. Gen. 3. 5. See Matt. 3. 7. James 2. 19.

Nahum 3. 14. Draw thy waters for the siege, fortifie thy strong holds, go into the clay, and tread thy mortar, make strong thy brickhill: that is, Go, and make all these warlike preparations for a siege; go, and repair, and fortifie thy breaches; all this is nothing else but a jeer, mockery and derision; for the Prophet tells them in the very next Verse, They shall be destroyed, there shall the fire devour thee, and the sword shall cut thee off. See also the like Sarcasm, Nahum 2. 1.

Matth. 27. 29. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his hand; and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail King of the Jews. Such a kind of sceptre and crown they bestow up­on him, to betray him to more disgrace and infamy; and when he appeared most ingloriously and unlike a Prince, then do [Page 113] they most contemptibly pretend to pay him the highest honour and reverence.

PATHOPOEIA.

Pathopoeĭa▪ This Figure excites a most excessive Passion in the soul of Man, such as sorrow, joy, desire, and the like.

Hosea 11. 8. How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled toge­ther. What a mighty pathos have these words? how are these expressions extream­ly passionate? what tenderness? what com­passions? what riches of mercy and kind­ness does God himself show to his people, even when their fins are become unpardo­nable? yet then his love, his compassion is so excessively great, that he cannot suffer himself to destroy them, as those wicked places, Gen. 19. 23. Deut. 29. 23. But the Lord represents himself in a very great disorder and confusion, and as it were divi­ded and swayed by different Inclinations; sometimes as a just and a most righteous Judge; and then, Shall not the Judge of all the earth doe right? And now again, he considers also, that he himself is a God full [Page 114] of mercy and compassion; and then says, I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim; for I am a God, and not a man. Methinks such tender and affectionate expressions as these give no great countenance to the do­ctrine of reprobation; for if God from all eternity decreed man to be miserable; why should God himself express such an infinite concernment upon the prospect of his ruine and destruction? why should the Father of Mercy weep and lament over him, when he was lost beyond all recove­ry so long ago, and by his very decrees, if they are in the right▪

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that kil­lest the Prophets, and stonest them which were sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thee, as the hen gathereth her chick­ens under her wing, and ye would not. Read here the tender sense of God, upon the misery of his People: how willing, how desirous he is, to be their Saviour, expres­sing the very same care, the same affections for their preservation, as the most fond Parent has for her own beloved Children.

1 Cor. 4. 14. I write not these things to shame you; but as my beloved sons, I warn you. And can there be any thing said more passionately? What can be ex­pressed [Page 115] with more kindness and more affe­ction? or more sensibly discover his infi­nite concernment for their Salvation. See also 2 Cor. 2. 4.

For out of much affection and anguish of heart, I wrote unto you with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that ye may know the love which I have more a­bundantly unto you: This is a pastoral Care, worthy our Apostle; this ardency of love and affection, is most incomparable: how does St. Paul, with an infinite tender­ness insinuate to his dear Corinthians, the reasons why he was so extreamly troubled for their sakes, was not in the least to make them sorrowfull, and to draw tears from their eyes; but only to discover his most tender love and compassion for them, not willing in the least that any should pe­rish, but that all should repent and be sa­ved.

Prov. 31. 1. What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, O son of my desires? Asif his mother Bathsheba was at a mighty loss, what sort of instructions to give to her son Solomon, or what precepts are most proper and convenient for him; and the question implies the care, the so­licitousness, and the fondness of a tender▪ mo­ther.

[Page 116] John 21. 15. Our blessed Saviour, with a mighty passion, seems to ask St. Peter no less than three times, Simon Peter, lovest thou me? Insomuch that the Apostle him­self was very much troubled, that his Savi­our should so very often question his affe­ction to him; and Peter was grieved, be­cause he said also the third time, Lovest thou me?

Isai. 49. 15. Can a woman forget her sucking child? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Thus God himself puts a question concerning the most unna­tural thing; for a mother to be unmind­full of the Child of her womb; and yet tells, us, though this be extreamly difficult, and the greatest violence to humane nature; yet such inhumanity is possible: yet never­theless, God assures his People, that 'tis not possible for himself to be so unkind, or so un­mindfull of them.

Something extreamly kind I feign would say,
But find my words can never force their way.

Jer. 31. 20. Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I speake a­gainst him, I do earnestly remember him [Page 117] still, therefore my bowels are troubled for him. And now, can you persuade your self, that such most tender thoughts as these, can proceed from God, if he was a cruel Being? does such affectionate lan­guage declare, that God takes any delight in the misery of his creatures, or that he can in the least, be accessary to their impe­nitency, or to their eternal ruine and mi­sery, when he discovers himself so affecti­onately kind and tender, that he languisheth, when we are in the least unhappy, or when any misfortune comes upon us?

If my Ephraim but complains,
I have sense of all his pains.

Rivers of water run down my eyes, be­cause men keep not thy Law: This is an excessive passion of grief; Can any sorrow be like to this kind of sorrow? Can there be a greater demonstration of his love to God, than to be so infinitely afflicted, to see some so very disrespectfull, so disobedi­ent to God's Commands? Greater love hath no man than this. Let others then take delight to blaspheme his Name; let others crucifie their Saviour again, and once more put him to open shame, while the godly Man is more happily employed, [Page 118] and pours out his soul in weeping and le­mentations, and with the Prophet, crys out in the most passionate manner, Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the manifold sins and provocations of thy people Israel! Jerem. 9. 1.

Gal. 4. 19. My little children, of whom Itravail in birth again, until Christ be for­med in you: first, he salutes them with the kindest and most affectionate Appella­tion, My little children: Then, as if he suffered the greatest pains and anguish for them, not unequal to those of a woman in labour, Of whom I travail, until the Image of Christ, and his Righteousness, be formed in your souls. And the meta­phor is very proper; for the moral birth, to be regenerate, and to be born again; is no less difficult, no less painfull and labo­rious, than the natural birth, or our fir [...] formation in the very womb.

FINIS.

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