A Key to Open Scripture Metaphors, Book 1 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Of a Metonymie of the Subject.
THIS kind of Metonymie shall be handled under five Heads.
1. More generally when the Recipient, or receiving Subject is put for the Adjunct.
2. More especially, when the thing Containing is put for the thing Contained, or Place for the thing Placed.
3. When the Possessor is put for the thing Possessed.
4. When the Occupant Object or Subject is put for that which it is concern'd about.
5. When the thing Signed is put for the Sign.
1. The Recipient or Receiving Subject is put for the Adjunct.
THE HEART is put for Wisdom, (where the Scripture tells us the seat of Wisdom is) as Prov. 2.10. and 11.29. and 15.14. and 16.21. Prov. 6.32. Who so committeth Adultery with a Woman, lacketh a Heart, (so the hebrew is) that is- lacketh Wisdom and Understanding. See Prou. 7.7. and 9.4, 16. and 10.13, 21. In which places by the phrase (wanting a Heart) is to be understood of an unwise person or a fool, by which words the Scripture expresses unbeleiving and Wicked men, as Prov. 8.5. O yee simple understand subtilty, and ye fools understand an Heart (so the hebrew) that is, wisdom. Prov. 15.32. He that heareth reproof possesseth (or acquireth) an Heart, that is, (as the Chaldee renders it) Wisdom. See Prov. 28.26. He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool, that is, he that depends on or confides in his own understanding and prudence, or he that is wise in his own Eyes, as Esa. 5.21. So Hos. 7.11. and 4.11.
The [Heart and Reins] are put for inward thoughts and affections, Psal. 73.20, 21. and 51.7, 8. Prov. 23.16. God searches the Heart and Reins, Psal. 7.9, 10. and 26.1, 2. Jer. 11.20. and 17.10. and 20.12, This is to be foreign as Act. 1.24. The knower of Hearts, Matth. 20.21.
'Tis put for the desires of the soul expressed in Prayer, as Psal. 62.8. Pour out your heart before him, that is, the desires of your heart, Lam. 2.19.
The New or inward man is put for the condition or state of the Converted or regenerate soul. And Old or outward man is opposed to it. See Rom. 6.6. Eph. 4. 22.2 Cor. 7.1. Heb. 23.1. 2 Cor. 5.17. Rom. 12.2. and 8.2, 5. 2 Cor. 4.16.
2. The Thing Containing is put for the Thing Contained, and Place for thing Placed.
MOunt Carmel is put for the Trees there Jer. 46.18. As Carmel by Sea, that is, as the Trees of Mount Carmel are drawn by Sea, so shall he lead them Captives: So says Rab. Kimhi, blessed be thy basket, Deut. 28.5. That is the meat or provision in it. A Desart is put for the wild Beasts there, Psal. 29.8. with Deut. 8.15. A House is put for the Family, Children, and Domesticks, Gen. 7.1. Come thou and all thy House into the Ark. 2 Sam. 7.11. The Lord telleth thee that he will make them an House, that is, give thee an off-spring or posterity to possesse the Royal Dignity, 1 Chron. 10.6. Psal. 49.12. Luke 19.9. &c. It is also put for a People or Tribe sprung from any Family, as Exod. 2.1. Ezek. 3.1. and 27. 14. &c.
[Islands] are put for their Inhabitants, and so for the Gentiles which possest all the Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Esa. 41.1, 5. Keep silence before me O Islands— The Isles saw it and feared, &c. See Esa. 42.4. The Isles shall wait for his Law, Esa. 51.5. The Isles shall wait upon me.
The [Sea] is put for Maritine Inhabitants, or Sea-men that dwelt near the shore. Ezek. 26.17. How art thou destroyed that wast inhabited of the Seas (so the hebrew) So Esa. 60.5. The abundance of the Sea shall be converted unto thee, that is, the Gentiles which dwell near the Sea, as the following words shew. See Hag. 2.7, 8. Deut. 33.19. They shall suck the abundance of the Seas, that is Goods and Merchandize brought by Sea.
A [Table] is put for Meat. Psal. 23.4, 5. Psal. 78.19. A Mountain for Mountainous places, Josh. 13.6. Judges 7.24. &c. Mountains and Hills are put for Idols, which were Worshipt there, Jer. 3.23. Mountains and Vallies for their Inhabitants, Micah. 1.4. The Mountains shall be Molten under him, and the Vallies shall be Cleft— that is, the Hearts of those that inhabit them shall wax soft. See Psal. 68.2, 3. and Psal. 97.4, 5. They put to flight the Vallies toward the East, and toward the West, that is, such as dwelt in the Vallies, 1 Chron. 12.15.
The [World] is put for Mankind, John 3.16. and 12.19. 2 Cor. 5.19. 1 John 2.2. and 5.19. 'Tis put for the wicked who are the greatest part of mankind, John 1.10. and 7.7. and 14.17. and 15.19. and 16.20, 23 and 17.9, 14. 1 Cor. 11.32. 1 John 3.1. and 4.5. and 5.4, 5. Hence the Devil is called the Prince of this world, John 12.31. and 14.30. and 16.11. foreign Princes of the world, Eph. 6.12. The God of this world, 2. Cor. 4.4. Which is expounded, Eph. 2.2. In time past ye walked according to this world, according to the Prince of the Power of the Air, the Spirit that Now worketh in the Children of Disobedience.
The [World] is put sometimes for those are converted and beleive, as Illyricus says alledging John 6.33. The Bread of God is he which cometh down from Heaven, and giveth Life unto the world, that is, to beleivers, and John 14.31. But that the world may know that I love the Father, &c. Yet Glassius thinks that the whole race of mankind is rather to be understood in both places, as verse 51. the Bread which I will give is my Flesh, which I will give for the life of the World, for this giving of Life, is not an actual conferring of it by Faith, but rather an acquisition or purchase of life for them, in which sence Christ is called the light that enlightens every man that cometh into the world. In the other text, John 14.31. Christ signifies by those words, that he was therefore to die, that he might deliver mankind from the power of Satan. (2.) That this Redemption of mankind should, by the Word of the Gospel be revealed to the whole World. For he says not, let me die that I may shew that I love the Father, but that the World may know that I love the Father. Which knowledge was had, when the Gospel was promulgated through the whole World by the Apostles.
Camerarius in his Notes on John 17.21. That the World may beleive that thou hast sent me, says, that by foreign the world we are to understand, foreign Such as shall be saved— But Glassius says, that it signifies all men universally, as John 3.17. For God sent his Son that the world through him might be saved— For though all men are not actually saved, in regard of their proper contumacy and impenitency, yet a spiritual Unity for believers is prayed for, and that the World might believe, that is, that all men should be converted to the true knowledge of the Messiah, although very many remain in Unbelief and Wickedness, who shall have no share in this Redemption.
[Ships] are put for the Men in them, Esa. 23.1. Howl ye Ships of Tarshish, that is, ye Mariners and Merchants, &c. So verses 10.14.
[A Nest] is put for the Young ones, Deut. 32.11. As an Eagle stirreth up her Nest, that is, the Young Eagles, as is clearly shew'd in the following words.
[Ophir] (A Country in India abounding with Gold) is put for Gold brought from thence, Job 22.24. Then shalt thou lay up Gold as Dust, and Ophir as the Stones of the Brooks, that is, Gold brought from Ophir; Abundance of Gold is denoted by the whole phrase, and Metaphorically, great felicity.
A [Cup] is put for the Wine or Liquor in it, Jer. 49.12. Ezek. 23.32. 1 Cor. 10.21. Yee cannot drink the Cup of the Lord and the Cup of Devils. Luke 22.17. It is said in the last Paschal Supper, And he took the Cup and gave thanks, and said take this, and divide it amongst your selves, that is, the Wine not the Cup; for verse 18 he says, I will not drink of the fruit of the Vine, untill the Kingdom of God shall Come, So Luke 22.20. We have the same Metonymie, about the Eucharistical Cup of the Lords Supper, and 1 Cor. 11.25, 26, 27. Of this Cup Christ says, that 'tis the New Testament in his Blood, but the containing vessel cannot be understood, but the thing contained, viz. The Wine, which is Sacramentally the Blood of Christ, Matth. 26.28. Mark 14.24. See more 1 Cor. 10.16, 21. 1 Cor. 11.26, 27. Matth. 26, 27. Mark 14.23. 1 Cor. 11.28.
[The Names of Countries] is frequently put for their Inhabitants, as Egypt for Egyptians, Gen. 17.15. Ps. 105.38. Ethiopia, for Ethiopians, Ps. 68.31, 32 Sheba for Sabeans, Job 1.15. and 6.19. See Esa. 43.3, 4. Judea and the adjacent Countries about Jordan, are put for their Inhabitants, Matt. 3.5. Macedonia and Achaia for Christians living there, Rom. 11.26. The Land of Egypt is put for spoils brought from thence, Jer. 43.12.
[The Grave] is put for the Dead that are buried in it, as Esa. 38.18. The Grave cannot praise thee, Death cannot celebrate thee, that is, they that are Dead and Buried, the reason follows, They that go down into the Pit cannot hope for thy Truth, ver. 19. The Living, the Living, he shall praise thee. See Psal. 6.6. Psal. 115.117. [The Earth] is put for the Inhabitants of the Earth, Gen. 6.11. The Earth was also corrupt before God, and the Earth was filled with violence, which is expounded in the next verse, for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the Earth. So Gen. 11.1. and 18.25. and 19.31. and 14.30. 1 Sam. 14.29. 2 Sam. 15.23. Prov. 28.2. Esa. 24.20. Matth. 5.13. [The Ends of the Earth] are put for the Inhabitants of the extreamest parts thereof, Psal. 22.27, 28. Psal. 67.8. A [Theatre] (the place where Plays and Shews are seen) is put for the sight it self, 1 Cor. 4.9. Where the Apostle Paul Metaphorically says of himself, For we are made a Theatre (so the Greek) unto the World, and to Angels, and to Men— As if he had said, we are derided, hated and abused by the World, and that not in a corner, but as if the whole Earth were gathered together in one Theatre to satiate and please themselves with beholding our miseries.
A [City] is put for Citizens, Jer. 4.29. The whole City shall flee— Shall go into Thickets, and clime upon the Rocks. So Esa. 14.31. Jer. 26.2. &c. Jerusalem, Chorazin, Bethsaida, Capernaum are put for their Inhabitants, Matth. 3.5. Mark 1.5. Matth. 23.37. and 11.21, 23. Act. 18.25. Jud. 5.7.11. &c.
To this by Analogy may be referred these that follow.
[Heaven] is put for God, who is said to dwell in the Heavens, and there manifests his Glory and Majesty to Angels and glorified Spirits, Psal. 73.9. They set their Mouth against the Heavens and their Tongue walketh through the Earth, that is, they licentiously vent their blasphemies against God, and contumelious words against Mankind. See more Examples in Dan. 4.23. with verse 22. and 29. 1 King 8.32. Matth. 21.25. The Baptism of John whence is it? from Heaven or of Men? that is, from God, or men, So Luke 20.4. Luke 15.18. Father I have sinned against Heaven, that is, against God.
[The Heart] is put for the Soul, which is radically in the Heart as its proper seat, Psal. 24.3, 4. and 84.3. 1 Pet. 3.4. Heb. 13.9. &c. The [Belly] is put for the Heart, which (viz. heart) is likewise put for the Soul and its acts and cogitations, Job 15.35. Prov. 18.8. and 20.27. and 26.22. and 22.18. Hab. 3.16. John 7.38.
3. The Possessor is put for the thing possessed.
GEN. 15.3. Behold the Son of mine house *So the Hebrew.inherits me, that is, my Goods and Estate, Deut. 9, 1. To possesse Nations greater and mightier then thy self, that is, the Countries of the Gentiles, for the People themselves were not to be possessed but cut off by the Command of God, as verse 2, 3. See 2 Sam. 8.2. Psal. 79.7. For they have devoured Jacob, that is, his Riches and Goods.
The [Prince] is put for his Jurisdiction, Matth. 2.7. And thou Bethlehem in the Land of Juda, art not the least among the Princes of Juda, that is the Principalities or Prefectures of Juda, who were distinguished by thousands, as 1 Sam. 10.19.
The [Name] of God is put for Oblations offered to him, as Josh. 13.33. The Lord God of Israel was their Inheritance, (viz. the Levites,) which is expounded, verse 14. Only unto the Tribe of Levi he gave no Inheritance, the Sacrifices of the Lord God of Israel made by fire are their Inheritance, &c. and Josh. 18.7. The Priesthood of the Lord is their (the Levites) Inheritance — Deut. 10.9. The Lord is his Inheritance. &c. See Ezek. 44.28.
[Christ] is put for the Church (or believers who are his peculiar People, Tit. 2.14. 1 Pet. 2.9.) Matth. 25.35. For I was an hungred and ye gave me meat, &c. says Christ and verse 40.Act… 20.…. Phil. ….12. Ps. 16.6. …. 5.30, 32. It is thus expounded, In as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of th…se my Brethren, ye have done it unto me. Acts 9.4, 5. Saul, Saul, why pers…cutest thou me? I am Jesus whom thou persecutest, whereas verse 1, 2. It is said that Saul persecuted the Disciples of Christ. So 1 Cor. 12.12. So also is Christ, that is, his Church, hath many Members, and many Believers do constitute one Body of Christ, or one Church, for it follows, v. 13. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body, Christ therefore is put for his Mystical Body, or which is the same thing, that which properly belongs to a body is attributed to Christ, because of his Mystical Union with Believers. For the same Reason the Afflictions of Christ are called the Afflictions of the Saints, Col. 1.24. Upon which place Lyranus says thus, The Passions or sufferings of Christ are twofold, one he endured in his own proper Body, as Hunger, Thirst, yea even Death, and in this sence there was nothing to be filled up — The other he suffers in his Members who are Believers, when they are persecuted, afflicted, and oppressed for his sake. And this is the meaning of the Apostle here when he says, who Now rejoyce in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the Afflictions of Christ in my Flesh for his Bodies sake which is the Church.
4. The Object is put for That which it is Conversant about.
CHrist Jesus is put for his Doctrine, 2 Cor. 11.4. For if he that cometh Preacheth another Jesus whom we have not preached, that is, another better Doctrine of Christ, which he calls another Gospel, &c. Eph. 4.20. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the Truth is in Jesus &c. This is to be understood of the Doctrine of Christ.
[God] is put for Worship appointed for his Honour, as Exod. 32.1. And they (that is the Israelites) said unto him (viz. Aaron) up, make us foreign Gods, that is, as Brentius, Gerhard, and others expound it, Institue nobis publica sacra, &c. Brent. …. in loc. Gerrhard. To…. 3. lo…or. de lege dei S. 92.Institute some publique form of Worship for us, or some visible sign of Gods presence (as afterwards was the Tabernacle, the Ark and Mercy Seat, Exod. 40.34, 35. Numb. 7.84.) possibly some such thing as they had seen in Egypt; for now they were turned in their Hearts to Egypt, Acts 7.39, 40.
[Glory and Strength] are put for the Praise and Celebration of Glory and Strength, as Psal. 69.1. Give unto the Lord Glory and Strentgh, that is, give him the Praise of his Glory and Strength. See Psal. 8.2. Out of the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings, hast thou ordained Strength, that is, the Praise and Celebration of his Strength and Omnipotency, as it is expounded, Matth. 21.16. So Psalm 96. 6, 7. verses.
[Sin] is put for Sacrifice or Sin-offering, Exod. 29.14. The Flesh of the Bullock, &c. Thou shalt not burn without the Camp, it is a sin: (so the Hebrew) that is, (as our Translation renders it) a Sin-offering, Hosea 4.8. They Eat up the sin of my People, that is, the Sacrifice, or sin-offering, for sin has a threefo…d acceptation. (1.) It signifies the Transgression of Gods Law, 1 John 3.4.vid. Burr. on Hosea. (2.) Punishment for sin, he shall bear his sin, Lev. 20.20. and 29. and 24.15. Numb. 9.13. and 18. 22. Ezek 23, 49. (3.) Sacrifice offered for sin, Lev. 10.17. Why do you not eat the sin of the holy place, (for so the words are to be read, that is, the sin-offering. In this sence that text is to be understood, 2 Cor. 5.21. Christ was made sin for us, that is a sin-offering, according to Isa. 53.10. If thou shalt make his Soul Sin *delictum, reatus.foreign Our Translation renders it, when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin; explained, Eph. 5.2. Christ hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour: For he is the true propitiatory sacrifice for our sins whom the old Typical oblations adumbrated or shadowed forth.
That phrase of the Apostle Paul's, 2 Cor. 5.21. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, is borrowed from Esaias, upon which D. Franzius thus expresses himself. How Christ was made sin may be plainly and perfectly declared from the Beasts allotted for Sacrifices, when by imputation of the sins of the People to them they became unclean, yea sin, and so were slain and sacrificed, &c. By which words the reason of this Tropical speech, whereby Sin is taken for Sacrifice is noted; Illyricus says, These Sacrifices were so called, because the sins of the People, (with respect to punishment) were after a certain manner by Imputation transferred upon them, not that the foreign signifies to expiate Cl. Script. part. 1 Col. 858.
[Promise] is put for Faith, which embraces or receives the gracious promise of God, Rom. 9.8. Children of the promise, that is, of Faith, which receives the gracious and free promise of Christ. They are called Sons by a Metaphor, with respect to Abraham who is by the Holy Spirit called the Father of Believers, Rom. 4.16. As if he had said, they that tread in the steps of Abraham, and are a like unto him in Faith. See Rom. 4.12. Gal. 3.7, 29. and 4.28. &c.
[Blood] is put for bloody-men, or those that are malicious and ready to spill blood or perpetrate any villany, Esa. 33.5. That stoppeth his Ears from hearing of blood, that is, hearkens not to them who conspire or confederate to commit Murther, slaughter or other wickedness …for that is synecdochically noted by the word Blood.) See Prov. 1.10, 11, 12, &c.
[The Subject or Argument] of Writing is put for the writing it self, 1 King 8.21. The Ark wherein is the Covenant of the Lord, that is, the tables wherein the Covenant was written. Exod. 34.28. So Rom. 9.4. foreign, the Testaments or Covenants, that is, the two tables of the Covenants, as they are expresly called, Heb. 9.4. So the Old Testament is taken for the Books wherein it was written and contained, 2 Cor. 3.14. which is common in our vulgar speech to take the Old and New Testament for the Books wherein they are written.
5. The thing Signified is put for the Sign.
THE thing signified is sometimes put for the sign materially, that is, for the thing it self, which is the Sign 1 Chron. 16.11. Seek the Lord and his strength, that is, the Ark of the Covenant, which was a sign and symbol of his presence and strength. So Psal. 78.61. Psal. 105.4. Whence it is expresly called the Ark of the strength of God, Psal. 132.8. Ezek. 7.27. The Prince shall be Cloathed with desolation, that is, with a garment denoting mourning and desolation; 1 Cor. 11.10. A Woman ought to have foreign power on her Head, that is, a garment signifying that she was under the power of her Husband.
Sometimes the thing signified is formally put for the Sign, that is, for the term or appellation of the sign, as Exod. 8.23. And I will put Redemption between my people and thy people, that is, the sign or token of Redemption. Deut. 16.3. Seven days shalt thou eat unleavened Bread therewith even the bread of Affliction, that is, a sign, monument or Memorial of the Affliction, which you endured in Egypt. By this Trope Bread is called the Body of Christ, and Wine is called his Blood, Matth. 26.26, 28. Mark 14.22, 24. 1 Cor. 11.24, 25. that is, a Sacramental sign and symbol of his Body and Blood, instituted in remembrance of him.