or spiritual Sense of Scripture is according to some threefold 1. Tropological when one thing delivered in Scripture signifies some other thing pertaining to the Conversation of Men. Thus those Texts of the Mosaick Law wherein is forbidden the eating of certain Animals have partly respect unto the Manners of Persons Both Jewish and Christian Expositors have thought that it was designed in those Prohibitions that some moral Instruction should be taught that People from the Consideration of the natural Inclinations and Qualities of those Creatures 2. There is an Allegorical Sense when things spoken of in the Old Testament are Figures of something in the New or when particularly they have a respect to Christ or the Church Militant as the Rock and the Manna mentioned in Moses's History of the Israelites 3. An Anagogical Sense is said to be in some Places of Scripture and this is when the things related are applicable to the Church Triumphant or the Life everlasting Thus the entring into Canaan and the Holy of Holies in the Temple in the highest Sense of them are meant of Heaven and the State of Eternal Happiness But because there is a great quarrelling about the applying of this triple Distinction to the several Passages in Scripture which are said to bear a mystical meaning and because some learned Divines of the Protestant Perswasion disallow of this Distribution of the mystical Sense of Scripture I will avoid all wrangling by assigning only those two general Senses of Scripture viz. the literal and mystical and by leaving it to every one's Liberty either to omit the particular Subdivisions of the latter or to apply them as they see occasion Or rather if I may be permitted to vary from this received Division of the Sense of Scripture I would divide it thus into a primary and a secondary Sense the former is literal the latter is â—ystical and yet not so but that sometimes as you shall see afterwards the secondary Sense is literal too for there are two literal or historical Meanings in some Places but the latter of them may be called mystical also because it is not so plainly understood as the other The literal Sense of Scripture is the main and indeed the only Sense of the greatest part of it for some particular Places only have a mystical Signification This is the most genuine proper and original meaning and therefore I call it the first or primary one But the mystical Sense is derivative improper indirect and not that which was first and chiefly design'd and therefore I call it the secondary Sense The former of these is that plain meaning of Scripture which the bare Letter and Words themselves denote to us The latter is when some other thing is signified in the Words besides what the Letter of them seems to import The one is obvious and lies uppermost in the Text and is the soonest perceived but the other is more remote and lies deep and is not so easily discovered but is of great Use and Moment yea generally of greater than the other more familiar and obvious meaning wherefore it is our Concern to acquaint our selves with it The Bible like that Book in Ezekiel ch 2. 10. is written within and without it hath an inward secret and mystical Signification as well as one that is external open and literal and we can never arrive to a true Understanding of this Holy Book unless we have some Insight into both I will instance first in the Writings of the Old Testament and shew that there is a secondary or mystical Sense lodged in several Passages of them Indeed the holy Language it self in which these were wrote is big with Mysteries I have observed that there are more Words in this Tongue that signify to hide or conceal than in any other Language whatsoever There are a hundred synonymous Words at least for this one thing Whether this Criticism have any Weight in it or no I shall not be much concern'd but this is unquestionable that many great Mysteries are wrapp'd up in this abstruse Tongue in the holy Volume The Jews who were conversant in these Writings acknowledg'd there was not only a literal but a mystical Interpretation of them which latter they called Midrash because there was no attaining to it but by a diligent Inquisition The Hebrew Doctors say in a proverbial manner there is not a single Letter in the whole Law on which there do not depend great Mountains Their meaning is that there are vast Mysteries and profound Sense in every Word almost in the Sacred Writings Which is the meaning of another Adage of theirs viz. that the Law hath seventy Faces It hath many various Aspects different Significations and Senses for there are mystical as well as literal Interpretations of the holy Text. Thus the Entrance of the Bible the Beginning of the Book of Genesis though it be historical and sets down Matter of Fact as the wonderful Creation of the Heavens and Earth and of Man and the rest of the Inhabitants of this lower World yet it was thought by the wisest Jews that there was a farther Reach in it and that both Moral and Divine Mysteries were couch'd in the several Particulars of that Narrative which Moses gives there of the Origine of the World for which Reason this first Entrance into the Pentateuch was forhad to be read by the Jews till they were thirty Years of Age. It is agreed among the best Expositors that in those Words in Gen. 3. 14 15. The Lord said unto the Serpent I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy Seed and her Seed Besides the primary or literal Sense viz. that there shall be an irreconcilable Enmity between Mankind and the Serpentine Brood and that Man having an Antipathy against that Creature shall labour to destroy it by â—ruising his Head because there his Venom lies whereby he doth harm and the Head is to be first attack'd if we would destroy this mischievous Creature as Iosephus gives the Sense of this Place Besides this I say there is another for Satan is meant by the Serpent as well as the Creature of that Name for Satan appeared in the Shape of a Serpent or rather actuated a living Serpent and Christ is meant by the Seed of the Woman for he is emphatically and exclusively call'd so because he was not the Seed of Man but was after an extraordinary manner born of a Virgin So that this Text is justly stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first Dawning of the Gospel or the most early Promise concerning the blessed Messias the Christ the Lamb of God that was to take away the Sins of the World So likewise we are certain from the Authority of the Apostle in Heb. 7. 1 c. that what is said in Gen. 14. 18. of Melohisedek King of Salem Priest of the most High God is not only literally spoken but ought to be understood in a higher and
he had it from a very Understanding Jew that the Hebrew word Tsagnir signifies both little and great and others that have good Skill in that Tongue assert the same It is to be understood in this place in the latter Sense and so the words ought to be rendred thus Thou Bethlehem Ephratah thou art great among the Thousands or among the Princes of Judah for the Principalities were divided into Chiliads or Thousands Iudg. 6. 15. 1 Sam. 10. 19. Thus the Prophet Micah and the Evangelist Matthew agree for great and not the least are here the same And certainly it is a far better way of reconciling them than that which a Late Writer propounds viz. That whereas we read it Tsagnir it should be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 progredere go forth for besides that this somewhat marr's the Sense of the place if we go this way to work we may alter a great many places in the Old Testament and in the New too and substitute one word for another when we please and so we shall lose a great part of the Bible in a short time this therefore is not to be allow'd of by any means There are other Nouns of a Contrary Signification as Terugnah which is both a Ioyful Shout Psal. 33. 3. and a Mournful Cry Jer. 20. 16. Chesel is not only Inconstancy or Levity but Constancy or Stedfastness and Confidence And there is a very great Discrepancy if not Contrariety in the rendrings of the word Deshen which is sometimes Ashes and sometimes Fatness But if we be mindful of the Subject Matter spoken of we can't miss of the true Sense But the Verbs which bear a Contrary Sense are most remarkable thus Sakal is lapidare lapidibus obruere commonly also elapidare lapides amovere Isa. 62. 10. Chasar is consecrari Psal. 18. 26. and execrari Prov. 25. 10. Salah is aestimare Job 28. 16 19. and spernere conculcare Psal. 119. 118. Shub is reducere convertere and avertere rebellare both Senses are common in Scripture Iaphang is to be bright and shining yet it may seem to be taken in a contrary Signification in Iob 10. 22. according to Pagnin's Translation tenebrescit sicut caligo and the Vulgar Latin favours it Tamam or tam hath a contrary Sense for it signifies to perfect or finish as in Dan. 9. 24. to finish the Vision and also to consume as in Ezek. 22. 15. I will consume thy Filthiness out of thee Kadash in the usual Import of it is to sanctify but it is used in a quite opposite Sense in Deut. 22. 9. lest the Fruit of thy Vineyard be defiled So for other Verbs it is common to find them in Contrary Meanings as Iarash to possess or inherit commonly in Scripture and to dispossess or disinherit to expel reject and impoverish Gen. 45. 11. and in other Places both which contrary Senses occur together in Iosh. 23. 5. He shall expel them from before you and ye shall possess their Land Expelling and Possessing are the same Hebrew Verb though in different Conjugations So Chata in Kal is to sin but in Piel to expiate or take away Sin There is no other way to know the proper Rendrings of these and other Words before-mentioned but by a diligent attending to the Scope and Design of the Texts where they are And thus we shall perceive which of the Senses is designed though sometimes this is done with some Difficulty I will make choice of a Text to enlarge upon to this purpose The Instances are very usual in Scripture Barak signifies both to bless and to curse and in some Places it may seem not very easy to tell which of these is intended as in those Words of Iob's Wife Iob 2. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Vulgar Latin renders benedic Deo bless God Arias Montanus and Munster follow this Version and so doth the Learned and Pious Mr. Perkins and accordingly he renders the Verse thus Dost thou still retain thine Integrity bless God and die and makes this to be the Sense of it Thou being now sorely afflicted by God and brought even to Death's Door begin now at length to cast away thy Conceitedness of thy own Righteousness acknowledg God's Hand upon thee for thy Sins confess those Sins before him pray for the Pardon of them and so end thy Days This was good Counsel saith this Worthy Person although the applying of it was mix'd with Mistake and Folly and therefore Iob told his Wife that she spoke like one of the foolish Women But the Septuagint seem to take the Words in Another and Contrary Sense and render Barek Elohim by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speak some Word or say something against the Lord for the Praeposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signify so which approacheth towards Our Translation Curse God As if Iob's Wife had said to her Husband Thou hast no reason to speak well of God thou hast been undeservedly tormented by him thou hast been an upright and righteous Man and yet none hath met with such Calamities and Plagues as thou hast done therefore my Advice to thee is that thou wouldst even curse and blaspheme God himself and then make an end of thy miserable Life by laying violent Hands on thy self In this Sense the word Barak is thought generally to be taken in 1 Kings 21. 13. Naboth did blaspheme God though even there the Greek Interpreters render it he blessed God unless by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the Word used by them be meant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which very Good Authors tell us is the Sense of the Word sometimes by an Antiphrasis Thus as the Apostle saith with the same Tongue with the same Mouth so with the same Word we both bless and curse for the same Word both in Hebrew and Greek is used sometimes for both But it is my Opinion that the Word in the former Place need not be rendred either bless or curse but that there is a middle Signification of it there That we may apprehend this the better we must know what the first and original Sense of the Verb Barak is which I perceive few have enquired into It appears from the best Hebrew Grammarians and Lexicographers that I have met with that this Word primitively signifies to salute or greet in which abstract Sense it is used twice in 2 Kings 4. 29. If thou meet any Man salute him not and if any salute thee answer him not again The Hebrew Word which we translate salute is Barak So in Gen. 47. 7. 10. this Word is used to express Iacob's solemn Saluting of Pharaoh at his coming before him and at his going out of his Presence Iacob saluted we render it blessed Pharaoh But because Kneeling was a Posture of Salutation Barak signifies also to kneel or to salute one with bowing the Knee And thence Berek a Knee and thence some have imagin'd the word Abrek comes which we read was proclaim'd before Ioseph
when he rid forth in State signifying as they think that the People ought to salute him most humbly and even to bow the Knee to him This is certain that Barak is a general Word for Saluting whether at meeting or parting either by Word or Gesture and is equivalent with the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And because at such times they generally used to bow the Knee it hath that particular Signification as in 2 Chron. 16. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the LXX So in Dan. 6. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in Gen. 24. 11. the Kneeling down of Camels to take up their Burden is expressed by it Yea the word Barak is sometimes transferr'd from its signification of Civil Respect and Kneeling and applied unto Religious Worship as in 2 Chron. 6. 13. Solomon when he pray'd kneeled upon his Knees c. And in Psal. 95. 6. Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker The Word is here made use of to denote bending the Knee in Divine Worship and prostrating themselves before God So that this word Barak in the Original Denotation of it answers to the word Nashak which signifies to salute in a lowly and humble manner to submit and do Obeisance and more particularly Kissing is express'd by it which was a Token of Homage and Subjection of old 1 Sam. 10. 1. But from this first and simple Import of the Word another ariseth which is this viz. to take leave of one because Salutations and Greetings at last end in this Men part and go their way after a short saluting and accosting one another Thus the Word is taken in 2 Sam. 14. 22. Joab â—ell to the Ground on his Face and bowed himself and thanked the King Hebr. Jeberek he took his leave of him he made that Salutation which was becoming at his going out of his Presence In which Notion it likewise answers to Nashak which besides its former Sense signifies to take leave of to bid adieu to one as in Gen. 31. 28. therefore that Valedictory Salutation of Kissing was call'd Neshikah Parashah osculum separationis the Kiss at parting or taking their leave of one another And then there is another derivative Sense of the Word which flows both from this and the former meaning of it and that is twofold for Persons are wont at Saluting and taking Leave to wish well or ill to one another and to express these by good or evil Words whence it is that Barak is either benè or malè precari it imports either to bless or to curse This as I take it is the true and exact Account of the Word and so you see what is the primary and more restrain'd Acception of it and what is the secondary and more general Sense of it Now that which I offer is this that the Word in that Place of Iob is to be understood chiefly in the first and most proper Denotations of it i. e. as it signifies humbly to salute to bow down and do Obeisance or as it signifies to take one's leave According to the former Acception of the Word Iob's Wife speaks thus to him Do not continue to retain thine Integrity or to hold fast thy Perfection as it is in the Original Do not justify thy self before God as if thou wert void of all Guilt but with humble Reverence bow thy self before the Lord adore and worship the most High and submit thy self to him and acknowledg thy Meanness and Sinfulness Do thus and then thou mayst die with Peace and Comfort In this only she might incur the Imputation of speaking foolishly because she like Iob's Friends afterwards had wrong Apprehensions of this Good Man and imagined that he justified himself and was in his own Thoughts a Sinless Person Or else this was the Worser Language of that Woman Take now thy leave of God and die i. e. seeing thou art in this miserable Condition smote with fore Boils from the Sole of thy Foot to the Crown of thy Head ver 7. think not of living but rather desire to quit this World and to be gone Bid God adieu take your Farewel of him and only beg this of him that you may die as soon as may be Or you may suppose this Woman's Language or Meaning rather to be much worser yet even after this sort Take your last Valâ— of Heaven utterly renounce God as well as your Integrity shake him off and have nothing to do with him since he deals so severely with you abandon him for ever and hasten out of the World Though this be not so harsh as downright Cursing of God yet this was indeed speaking like one of the foolish sottish Women as he roundly told her v. 10. The Stile was something too rough to say Curse God She would not speak after that rate to her Pious Confort but she impiously counsels him to take his Leave of God and Religion and to bid an eternal Farewel to both In three other Places in this Book the Word is taken in this latter Sense for it is most probable that in this particular Book the Word is always used in the same Meaning as in ch 1. 5. It may be my Sons have as 't were taken their leave of i. e. tacitely renounced God in their Hearts in the midst of their Pleasures and Entertainments it may be they have had an Aversion to God they have in some measure departed from him for it is not likely that Iob's Children openly blasphemed or strictly speaking cursed God So that part of the 11th Verse of this Chapter and of the 5th of the next which we translate he will curse thee to thy Face seems to be too harsh a Representation even from the Mouth of the Devil of that Holy Man's Carriage for though he cursed the Day of his Birth he never curs'd and blasphemed the Almighty and that to his Face i. e. openly and audaciously but he might be said in some Degree to have forsaken and abandoned God and to have turned himself from him by indulging too much to Impatience and Murmuring And not only these Places in Iob but that in 1 Kings before-mentioned which we translate thus Naboth blasphemed or cursed God and the King may be understood in this Sense He by certain Actions discovered as was pretended that he had forsaken God and revolted from his Duty to the King But I submit this to the Judgment of the Learned Thus you see that Words of Different much more of Contrary Significations occasion some Difficulty in interpreting the Texts where they are found There are many Other Hebrew Words in Scripture which signify Contrary things the Sense sometimes as well as the Letters must be read backwards Nor is the Greek wholly destitute of such Words as in Tit. 1. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be rendred either slow or quick Bellies for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is both piger and celer The Cretians of whom this is spoken might be said
express it by the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sanare because reviving or healing the Stones in this Place are synonymous In 2 King 20. 7. Hos. 6. 2. the same Hebrew Verb is express'd by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Gen. 47. 25. Prov. 15. 27. Ezek. 33. 12. and other Places by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they being Words of the like import with Chajah Dibre hajamim Esth. 2. 23. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not amiss but the Sense not the Words is attended to In Prov. 11. 8. Mitsadah angustia is according to the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Venatio Persecutio which is a Word of the like tho not the very same Import In the Close of Esth. 10. 3. the Hebrew Noun is Zarang semen but the Greek Word here used is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is of the same Signification in this Place for to speak Peace to all his Seed or to all his Nation which were of the same Seed and Race are the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Word that the Seventy make use of in Iob 6. 4. but Ruach is the Original yet any observing Man cannot but discern the Congruity of the Greek Word for the Blood is the Vehicle of the Spirits and besides to drink up the Blood is an Elegant way of Expression The Hebrew Word Keren a Horn Job 16. 15. is not unâ—itly translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strength the Sense being minded and not the Word The Drops of Water Job 36. 27. are explain'd by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Drops of Rain Keren happuk Job 42. 14. is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 referring to the Greek Fable of Amalthea's Horn which signifies all manner of Good things and so comprehends in it the meaning of that Name given to one of Iob's Daughters And in several other Places in this Book the Hebrew Terms are explain'd rather than translated Bagnal Canaph Prov. 1. 7. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bagnal Aph ch 22. v. 24. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bagnal Nephesh ch 23. v. 2. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all which Versions are Exegetical So is that in Eccl. 10. 20. Bagnal Hakephanim Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iathad a Nail Isa. 22. 23. is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Ruler but the Sense is preserved for that Promise that Eliakim should be a Nail fastned in a sure Place imports his being advanced to Shebna's Office or Place of Rule as the foregoing Verses as well as those that follow plainly shew The Daughter of Tarshish Isa. 23. 10. is Carthage according to the Seventy because they thought this Place was meant by those Words They render Dibre Haberith Jer. 34. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas it should be the Words of the Coveâ—ant according to the Original but who sees not that it amounts to the same What according to the Hebrew is the Mountain of the Lord Mic. 4. 2. is the House of the Lord according to the Septuagint but these two differ not in the Sense because the Temple the House of God was built on Mount Sion The Word Derek a Way Jer. 23. 22. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 1 Kings 22. 52. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Ezek. 20. 30. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 2 Chron. 13. 22. 27. 7. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Iob 34. 21. 36. 23. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Prov. 31. 3. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in all these Places the true meaning of the Hebrew Word is maintain'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 1 Chron. 2. 20. Ieâ— 16. 14. Ezek. 2. 3. 35. 5. 37. 21. 43. 7. is rendred by the Greek Translators 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in all these Texts you 'l find the Sense of the Hebrew Word kept up So Iehovah Tsebaoth is rendred in above fifty Places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but instead of it we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Sam. 15. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 17. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Numb 3. 16. So Lashon which exactly speaking is the Tongue is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iob 15. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa. 54. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esth. 8. 9. In accuracy and propriety of Translation Shaphah is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the general Signification of the Word is preserv'd when the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezek. 24. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 11. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 16. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezek. 36. 3. are used I could add several hundreds more of the like Nature but I will at present mention only a few Instances out of the Book of Psalms That is a very remarkable one Psal. 2. 12. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apprehendite disciplinam is the rendring of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 osculamini filium the LXX not intending here barely to Translate but taking the Liberty to render the Sense not the Exact Words of the Original When Heathen Kings and Governours are admonished to kiss the Son i. e. to submit to the Government of Christ the Meaning is that they should accept of his Doctrine and Discipline and live and act according to these But others solve this Translation by telling us that the word Bar had heretofore different Significations and denoted both a Son and Discipline If this could be made good it belongs to the Fourth Particular where we spoke of the Diversity of Significations which some Hebrew Words have Again in Psal. 18. 2. 31. 3. they intended not an exact Version but rather chose to give the Sense of the word Selang a Rock when they express'd it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the former Place and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the latter In Psal. 19. 4. their Line Cavvam is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Sound or Voice because it amounts to the same Sense and Intention of the Psalmist unless you will say they read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then it is to be reduced to one of the former Particulars The word Machol Dancing is not improperly rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 30. 11. because it is of the very same Import In Psal. 40. 6. the Sense of the Seventy is the same with that of the Hebrew Text although the Translation be not Word for Word Mine Ears hast thou â—pened saith the Hebrew a Body hast thou prepared me say the LXX Here is one meaning though the Words differ Christ is here introduced speaking of his Incarnation when God the Father gave him a Body and prepared and fitted it for the Cross where it was to be nailed as the Ear of that Servant who loved his Master and would not depart from his Family was fastned for a time to the Door-post Exod. 21. 6. Deut. 15.
of Mesopotamia that he prophesied concerning the future State of the Iews and concerning the Coming of Christ. Saul was a very bad Man yet was endued with a prophetick Spirit Caiphas one of Christ's Judges was stirred up by the Holy Ghost to prophecy concerning our Saviour's Death And why might not God inspire Heathen Women though they were Wicked with a Spirit of Prophecy And that they were such seems to appear from their Verses wherein there are some things very Fond and Superstitious and so indeed they may be quoted by the Roman Catholicks in defence of their Cause This shews that they were not possessors of true Virtue and Goodness But then I ask this can we think that the choicest Mysteries of Religion were revealed to them if they were Wicked and Prophane Would God vouchsafe so great and peculiar a Privilege to the worst of Persons 3ly Therefore some hold that these Pagan Prophetesses spake not by a good but evil Spirit The Devil reveal'd these things to them saith St. Ambrose and helped them to fore-tell these future Events And some have turn'd those foresaid Instances this way telling us that Baalam Saul and Caiphas prophesied by the assistance of some Evil Daemon So the Heathen Oracles spoke truth oftentimes though their Answers came from the Infernal Spirits That these Sibylls received their Skill from Satan may be discern'd say some in the Errors and Superstitions which are in their Books yea the Idolatries of the Gentiles are countenanced by them in some passages which occur in their Predictions But then this may be said to baffle this Opinion that the fore-telling of such future Contingencies is not in the power of that Evil Spirit Moreover it is unlikely that these Gentiles were they informed by a Divine Intelligencer but especially when they were acted by a Diabolick one should have as clear nay a clearer fore-sight and discovery of Christ to come than the Iews God's own People and the holiest Men among them had 4ly It is the Judgment of the Learned Isaac Vossius that the Sibylline Verses so call'd were made and collected by the Iews This he asserts only concerning those Writings of theirs which were extant before Christ's coming for the Iews being dispersed over the World and knowing that Daniel's Seventy Weeks were expiring were stirred up by God to compose these Verses thereby to signifie to the Gentiles the approaching of Christ. But of the other Works of the Sibylls viz. those that were afterwards quoted by some of the Fathers he hath not the same opinion and esteem but thinks they were made and compiled or in plain terms forged by some Christians particularly the Gnosticks This is a very odd account of the Sibylls and shews that the Learned Author of it was in a great streight He was first willing to reject the Christians from being the Composers of those Writings which some had asserted and yet it seems afterwards he retracts that Sentiment and is not unwilling to believe that the Christians themselves forged and counterfeited these Sibylline Oracles But if the Iews were the Authors of some part of these Writings then I ask how came they to insert things savouring of Heathen Superstition and Idolatry And if the Christians were Compilers of an other part of these Verses how came they to insist in the steps of the former and to add some things as is said in favor of those Pagan Corruptions But I dismiss this as a divided and distâ—acted Opinion Besides that I can't see why the Iews might not as well have produced the Bible to the Gentiles for it had been translated into Greâ—k a Tongue intelligible to the Pagan World a long time before our Saviours Coming that had been more Authentick than any other Writings whatsoever of their own Composing In the Fifth and Last place I take leave to propound an other Opinion which is this I hold that these ancient Writings or Oracles were not made by Iews but Pagans and particularly by those Women call'd Sibylls who made them in no other sense than this that they took them out of the Holy Scriptures of the Old-Testament and turned them into Verse This is that which I assert as most consonant to Reason and it is a farther Proof of what I have been so long insisting upon viz. that the Pagans borrowed from the Bible I am not sollicitous whether these Women were good or bad whether they were moved by God or by an Evil Spirit There are some Inconveniencies in asserting of either side But there is a plain and easie way different from both viz. that we are not to look upon them as Prophetick Persons as if they had a Gift of fore-telling all those things they speak of No they only extracted what they writ from the Scriptures from the ancient Prophesiâ—s therein contain'd especially from that of Isaiah And so indeed in some sense their Writings may be said to be Divine and Inspired for whatever these Pagans fore-told was no other than what they took from the Inspired Prophets in holy Writ They are Instances of the like nature with those that I have so often produced in the foregoing Discourse namely Gentile Poets that made use of several passages in the Sacred Volume and inserted the main Substance of them into their Verses And as those Heathen Poets mingled prophane Notions and Fables with the Sacred Doctrine and History which I shew'd before so here it is as true that these Pagan Versifiers mixed some things that were Superstitious with their Prophesies of Christ and his Kingdom which they derived from the Old-Testament It is well known that there were Female Poets among the Pagans as Sapho c. and therefore we need not scruple to believe that the Sibylls writ in Verse Indeed the looseness and neglectfulness of the Stile shews that it was done by some easie Poets That they were Pagan Women is clear from the frequent Allegations of the Fathers who represent them always as such and produce the Writings of these Pagans as a proper Confutation of the Gentiles whom they dispute against And the Heathens themselves acknowledged them to be such and no other as is apparent from what you shall hâ—ar afterwards concerning Erythraea and the Cumaean Sibyll Now concerning these Poetick Pagan Women I assert that they were no Prophetesses no more than Hesiod and Ovid and other Pagan Writers before-mentioned and that they like these took some things out of the Old-Testament which also were much fam'd and talk'd of and digested them into Numbers It is undeniable that in their Verses there are very notable Testimonies concerning our Saviour there are mentioned many considerable Circumstances of his Birth Life Miracles Passion Death Resurrection Ascension and his coming to Judgment but there is no more Reason to think that these were spoken by them from a Prophetick Spirit than to believe that Orpheus and Homer were inspired when they refer to some things that are in the Books of Moses
mystical Sense of Christ who was the true Melchisedek that is King of Righteousness and King of â—eace This mystical Interpretation of that historical Passage is vouched by the inspired Penman who wrote the Epiâ—tle to the Hebrews Again it is written viz. in Gen. 16 21. that Abraham had two Sons the one by a Bond-maid the other by a Free-woman This is the Letter or History Now observe the figurative Interpretation of it which things saith the Apostle are an Allegory for these are the two Covenants that is these two Mothers Hagar and Sarah denote the two Covenants the Law and the Gospel the one from the Mount Sinai which gendreth to Bondage which is Hagar for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia that is the Law was given on Mount Sinai and brings Servitude and strict Observances with it this is represented by Hagar for the Name of Hagar signifies the Mount where the Law was given and answereth to Jerusalem that now is that is the present State of the Jews The Hagarens i. e. the Arabians and all that spring from Ismael as Historians tell us no less than the Apostle intimates here are bound by their own Laws to be circumcised and observe therein the Mosaical Law like the Iews and so they like Hagar their Mother are in a servile Condition still are in Bondage with their Children But Jerusalem which is above is free which is the Mother of us all that is Sarah which denotes the State of the Gospel that new City which Christ brought with him from Heaven of which all Christians are free Denizens is a free Woman and signifies that we Christians Gentiles as well as Jews for she is the Mother of us all are free from all Moses's Rites and are justified without them Gal. 4. 22 24 25 26. Thus it appears from the Apostle that besides the historical Sense there is a higher and nobler in the Old Teâ—tament and particularly in that Place of Genesis where the two Mothers Sarah and Hagar and the two Sons Isaac and Ishmael were designed to signify the different State of those in the Church of God they respect the Law and the Gospel the Mosaical and Christian Dispenâ—ation There was this besides the bare historical Sense From the same Divine Writer we learn that the Pillar of the Cloud the passing through the red Sea the Mannah the Drink out of the Rock and the Rock it self which you read of in Exodus had a spiritual meaning and therefore some of these especially are expresly called spiritual they did eat the same spiritual Meat and drink the same spiritual Drink for they drank of that spiritual Rock which followed them and that Rock was Christ. 1 Cor. 1 c. 1 2 3 4. Hence it is evident that this historical Part of the Book of Exodus is likewise symbolical and capable of a spiritual Construction though still the Truth and Reality of the History remain entire So what we read in Numb 22. 9. viz. that Moses made a Serpent of Brass and put it upon a Pole that if any Man bitten with a Serpent beheld it he might live i. e. be cured of the venemous Biting hath a secondary meaning in it as our Saviour himself interprets it namely that the Son of Man should be lifted up that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting Life John 3. 14 15. The lifting up of the brazen Serpent upon a Pole in the Wilderness signified the lifting up of Christ upon the Cross for the healing and saving of all that look up to him with an Eye of Faith Thus when we read that God swore in Numb 14. 28. that the murmuring and unbelieving lsraelites should not enter into Canaan which the Psalmist calls their Rest Psal. 95. 11. the primary historical Sense is well known but besides this there is a secondary or spiritual one which our Apostle hath acquainted us with in Heb. 4. 1 c. Whence you may gather that in the History of the Israelites entring into the Promised Land and of the greatest Part of them that came out of Egypt being shut out there is a secondary meaning included viz. that Believers shall possess the Heavenly Canaan they shall enter into their everlasting Rest that Rest which remains to the People of God but Unbelievers shall come short not only of the Promise whicâ— is left of entring into this Rest but the Rest it self Thus you will find that Place in Numbers interpreted by the inâ—allible Apostle Again this mystical or secondary Sense is observable in those Places in the Mosaick Law which speak of the Rites and Services and Levitical Priesthood which the Jews were under as you may infer from three Chapters together in the Epistle to the Hebrews where the Apostle applies those things in a higher Sense viz. to Christ himself and his offering himself upon the Cross than ever was intended by the Letter But this double Sense of Scripture is no where more remarkable than in the Book of Psalms The 22d Psalm though primarily it be meant of David when he was in great Distress and forsaken of God yet secondarily i. e. mystically it is to be understood of our Blessed Savioâ—r when he was in his Passion and hung upon the Cross and accordingly you will find the first Words of it applied by himself Mattâ— 27. 46. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And other Passages of this Psalm the 8th 16th 18th Verses are taken notice of by the Evangelist as fulfilled at that time Matth. 27. 35 43. Now it is certain they could not be fulfilled unless they had been meant in this mysterious Sense of Christ. The latter Part of the 16tâ— Psalm is spoken in David's Person and is without doâ—bt in the first and immediate Sense of it to be understood of him and of his Hopes of rising after Death to an endless Life But it is as clear from Acts 2. 25 c. that it was spoken of Christ the Son of David and who was typified by that holy King and Prophet for St. Peter saith there in his Sermon to the Jews David speaketh concerning him I foresaâ— the Lord always before my Face for he is on my right Hand that I should not be moved Therefore did my Heart rejoice and my Tongue was glad Moreover also my Flesh shall rest in Hope Because thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One to see Corruption Thou wilt shew me the Path of Life c. Which are the four last Verses of that Psalm before-named and you may see in the following Words of this Chapter what the mystical Interpretation of them is according to that Apostle who had the Spirit to direct him to the utmost meaning of those Words Part of the 68th Psalm though it be David's Thanksgiving for the present Mercies he received yet undoubtedly it is a Prophetick Praising of God for the glorious Ascension of
Ornaments of the Soul Nay whatever Apparel is light and vain and any ways administers to Lust or Pride or Wantonness is wholly to be laid aside as sinful and unlawful In the same Chapter of the forenamed Epistle to Timothy you read that Adam was not deceived but the Woman ver 14. We know that Adam was deceived but yet in a Comparative way of speaking he was not that is his Deception was not so gross and inexcusable as that of the Woman It is said of the faithful Patriarchs that they received not the Promise Heb. 11. 39. i. e. in comparison of what we have since received They received it not in the full extent else you cannot make sense of the following words God â—aving provided c. In the foresaid Chapter of St. Peter 't is said Baptism doth also now save us not the putting away the Filth of the Flesh but the answer of a good Conscience towards God ver 21. This not seems to be Exclusive and Negative and thence some have made use of this Text to null the sacred Ordinance of Baptism which in Contempt they call Water-Baptism But they err not knowing the Scriptures and particularly not attending to the sense of this place where not is no Absolute Negative but a Comparative Not the putting away the Filth of the Flesh i. e. not the Outward Baptism simply and only or not that in Comparison of the other viz. the Inward washing and purifying by the Spirit And many other places it is impossible to understand aright unless you make use of this Observation which I have here exemplified namely that a Comparison is commonly in Scripture express'd by an Antithesis or which is all one that a Negative is put for a Comparative In the next place I might observe to you that an Hendyadis is very usual in Scripture that is two things are put severally to signify but one as Let the Lights be in the Firmament for Signs and for Seasons Gen. 1. 14. i. e. as some Expositors think tho I am not satisfied about it Let them be for Signs of the Seasons And they who read Psal. 17. 13 14. thus Deliver my Soul from the Wicked by thy Sword from Men by thy Hand tell us here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sword and the Hand for a Sword handled or drawn as if the Psalmist called upon God here to be his Champion and to deliver him by fighting for him That in Mat. 3. 11. is of the nature of an Hendyadis for â—aptizing with the Holy Ghost and with Fire is the same with baptizing with the Holy Ghost who is as Fire and so here One thing is express'd as if it were Two Some think there is the same Figure in Iohn 3. 5. Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Water and the Spirit i. e. say they the Spirit that is like Water cleansing and purifying the Soul But I conceive it may be doubted whether this and the former way of speaking be the same for if Water in this place signifies Baptâ—sm as the Antients interpreted it then 't is not the same thing with the Spirit but distinct from it and consequently here are not two things put for one But doubtless there are in Mat. 24. 31. He shall send his Angels with a Trumpet and a great Sound i. e. with a Trumpet that hath a great Sound that makes a great Noise or as our Translators render it with a great Sound of a Trumpet To this way of speaking may be referr'd Iohn 11. 33. He groan'd in the Spirit and was troubled i. e. he groan'd in his troubled Spirit And of this kind is Acts 14. 13. The Priest of Jupiter brought Oxen and Garlands i. e. Oxen crown'd with Garlands as was usual when they sacrificed to Iupiter One thing is here intended tho 't is express'd by two To this Figure appertains Acts 15. 28. It seemeth good to the Holy Ghost and to us that is to us directed moved and guided by the Holy Ghost I doubt not but an Hendyadis gives the best account of 1 Cor. 2. 4. My preaching was in Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power i. e. of the Spirit who was Powerful and enabled me in an extraordinary manner to demonstrate the Truth of the Gospel and to convince Gainsayers and who also enabled me to work Miracles for the confirming of what I preached This is the same with Rom. 15. 19. the Power of the Spirit of God by which as he there tells us mighty Signs and Wonders were effected The like mode of Speech is observable in the Apostle's words in 1 Thess. 1. 5. Our Gospel came unto you in Power and in the Holy Ghost i. e. the Holy Ghost shew'd himself Powerful in the Apostles Preaching and Miracles Lastly under this Head may be rank'd Col. 2. 8. Philosophy and vain Deceit that is Philosophy which is both vain and deceitful To proceed a Prolepsis is another usual Figure in Scripture especially in the Old Testament Such is that in Gen. 4. 16. Cain went and dwelt in the Land of Nod where it seems to be implied that Nod was the Name of that place which he went to and that it was named so before he went to it whereas it is most probable that that Place was not call'd by that Name at that time for it had its Name of Nod given to it from Cain's going thither who was a Vagabond So there is a plain Prolepsis or Anticipation in Gen. 14. 7. They smote all the Country of the Amalekites tho at that time there were no Amalekites and therefore the Country could not be named from them In 1 Sam. 4. 1. it is said Israel pitched beside Eben-ezer but there was no place of that Name then for you will find it given afterwards Those words in Gen. 29. 20. Iacob served seven Years for Rachel are spoken Proleptically not as if he did not marry Rachel before the seven Years were expired We read in Gen. 35. 19. and ch 48. v. 7. that Rachel was buried in Bethlchem but it is well known that that was not the Name of the Place till after Moses So Hebron and some other Names of Cities are mention'd in the Pentateuch and yet the Names were not given till after Moses's Death In Ios. 4. 19. the Israelites are said to encamp in Gilgal but that place is called so by Anticipation for it had that Name afterwards ch 5. v. 9. And other Instances there are of this nature in the Book of Ioshuah the Names of several places mentioned in it are of a later Date than Ioshuah's time The Jews conjecture is very probable that Ezra after the Captivity when he collected the several parts of the Bible and set them in order left out some of the antient Names of Places and inserted some modern ones that is he added the Names of Places which were unknown and not used in the days of
the same Mountain which I take to be the true and genuine meaning of those words of the Psalmist which have exercised the Brains of so many Interpreters As the Dew of Hermon that descended as it is according to the Hebrew or as we translate it As the Dew of Hermon and as the Dew that descended upon the Mountains of Zion both which Translations are reconcil'd by this Exposition and the Sense is rendred entire and perfect The Dew which descended on both these places was the same for some of it fell on this part of the whole Mountain and some on that so that successively Hermon and Zion were partakers of this Blessing Part of that Fructifying Moisture which came down upon the one soon after came down upon the other In the Desarts of Arabia the Mountain whence God gave the Law to Moses is call'd Sinai Exod. 19. 18. and in other places yet in Deut. 4. 10. and elsewhere frequently Horeb is the Name of the same Mountain Though St. Ierom is of a contrary Opinion and thinks they are two distinct Mountains or at least two ridges of one Mountain The like may be said of Mount Nebo the Arabian Parnassus which had two Tops Pisgah and Hor and by these Names as well as by the other it was call'd Numb 20. 23 25. Ch. 27. 12. Deut. 34. 1. and it was named also Mount Abarim Deut. 32. 49. Numb 27. 12. It may not be improbable that Aaron and Moses died on the same Mount though they are represented under different Names But it is most apparent that a double or treble Name is given to several other places thus the Salt-Sea Gen. 14. 3. Numb 34. 3. the Sea of the Desart Deut. 3. 19. and the Sea of the Plain Deut. 4. 49. signify one and the same place viz. the Sea of Sodom which is call'd by others the Dead Sea the Lake Asphaltites which was caused by the Destruction of Sodom The Sea or Lake of Chinnereth Numb 34. 11. of Genesareth Luke 5. 1. of Tiberias John 21. 1. of Galilee John 6. 1. are but one Lake Who doubts that Assyria Chaldea and Babylon are sometimes promiscuously used for the same Region and that Mesopotamia Charan Padan-Aram are one Country So Galilee and Decapolis are the same so are Sichem and Sychar Gen. 33. 18. John 4. 5. And the like is to be said of Egypt and Sihor Isa. 23. 3. Thus Places have more Names than one in the Holy Writings which we ought carefully to attend to lest we run into Mistakes as some have done by this Diversity of Names given to the same Place And this Difference of Names might be observed in other Instances which are frequent in Gentile Writers as Sparta and Lacedaemon Troy and Ilium Thraâ—ia and Romania c. And this likewise is to be noted that some Names of the same Place differ but a little i. e. as to a Letter or two and no more as Haran Gen. 12. 5. and Charran Acts 7. 2. are the same so are Sechem Shechem and Sychem Gen. 33. 18. Josh. 20. 7. Acts 7. 16. The same is to be said of Shiloah Isa. 8. 6. Siloah Neh. 3. 15. Siloam John 9. 7. Luk. 13. 4. all three the same as Kidron 2 Sam. 15. 23. and Cedron John 18. 1. are the same Brook So Zarephath 1 Kings 17. 9. and Sarepta Luk. 4. 26. are the same Town Megiddo 2 Kings 9. 27. and Megiddon Zech. 12. 11. the same Valley Zin Numb 13. 21. Deut. 32. 51. and Sin Exod. 16. 1. Numb 33. 12. the same Wilderness though some have thought these two latter words denote different places Concerning some things mention'd in Scripture we should distinguish between them though they differ not much in Writing and Pronunciation especially when they are of the same Species as Sardine Rev. 4. 3. Sardius the same precious Stone Rev. 21. 20. but Sardonix is a Stone different from that Rev. 21. 20. Though some Names differ a little yet they signify the same thing as Sycamine Luk. 17. 6. and Sycamore Ch. 19. 4. But these are small things and in which there is no great danger if there should be any mistake and therefore I will not entertain you any longer with these but hasten to more important Matter But having spoken so largely of this First Head I will be brief in that which followeth CHAP. X. There are Words in the Hebrew Text which have not only Different but Contrary Significations which is another cause of some Difficulty in Scripture This exemplified in several Hebrew Nouns more especially Tsagnir Mic. 5. 2. which signifies both little and great and accordingly this place is reconciled with Matth. 2. 6. Likewise Hebrew Verbs bear a Contrary Sense of which sundry Instances are given More particularly the true import of the Verb Barak Iob 2. 9. is narrowly search'd into and the Author 's particular Sense concerning that Text is propounded and defended Some Greek words in the New Testament signify Contrary things And the like Discrepancy is observ'd in some words in other Greek Authors and in some among the Latins I Proceed in the second place to observe That there are words in the Hebrew Text which have not only Different but Contrary Significations which cannot but render some parts of the Scripture difficult That is they will be so till we have throughly examin'd the words and found out the peculiar Signification which they have in the Texts that are before us Thus Shethum is rendred open as in Numb 24. 3. the Man whose Eyes are open and yet this Hebrew word signifies in all other places of Scripture where it is shutting of the Eyes Chesed denotes Beneficence Goodness Piety and the height of them and also Cruelty Malice and all Excess of Evil and whatever is Reproachful and Ignominious in the Life of Man thence some render those words Vechesed leummim chattah Prov. 14. 34. The Piety of Nations is Sin because whilst they worship Idols they think they serve God and others understand the place according to our Translation Sin is the Reproach of any People which is much to be preferr'd before the other Version because it exactly answers to the former Clause The word Cherem is both that which is consecrated to God and that which is Accursed and devoted to the Devil as I have shew'd in another place An impure Catamite a Sodomite is call'd Kadesh from Kadash â—acer fuit and Kedeshah which is no other than Sanctificata is taken for a Common Prostitute The word Tsagnir is both little and great and accordingly Mich. 5. 2. may be rendred either Thou Bethlehem Ephratah thou art little or art great among the thousands of Judah The not attending to this hath occasion'd no small trouble among Expositors whilst they labour to reconcile this Text with Mat. 2. 6. where it is quoted by the Jewish Doctors and Priests and Bethlehem is said to be not the least But the Learned Dr. Pocock on the place saith that