A Key to Open Scripture Metaphors, Book 1 · Chapter 15 – Chapter 18
CHAP. XV. Of a Synecdoche of the Species.
A Synecdoche of the Species, is when the Species is put for the Genus or a particular for the Ʋniversal, and its distinction is conformable to the former kind. As
The word many is put for all, Dan. 12.2. compared with John 5.8. Isa. 52.11. See Matth. 16.28. and 26.28. Rom. 5.18, 19. John 6.50.
1. Words of a narrower or more special signification are put for those of a more large or universal signification. The word foreign vir, a man, is the special attribute of the Male Sex, yet is put for any man or woman, Psal. 1.1. and 32.1. and 112.1. Jer. 17.5, 7. Joel 2.7, 8. &c. Fathers are put for Ancestors, Psal. 22.4. and 106.6. &c. Father is put for a Grandfather, 2 Sam. 9.7. and 19.18, Dan. 5.11, 18. A Mother for a Grandmother, 1 Kings 15.10.13. See ver. 2. &c. Brothers for Kinsmen, Judg. 9.1. 1 Chron. 12.29. Matth. 12.46, 47.
Jerom recites four kinds of Brothers, or such as are so by Nature, Gen. 27.11. by Country, Deut. 15.3. by Kindred, Gen. 13.8. by Affection or union of mind, Psal. 133.1. Hence the Brotherhood of one faith in Christ, Rom. 14.10. 1 Pet. 2.17. &c. Sons and Daughters for posterity, Exod. 1.7. Jer. 31.29. A Son for a Nephew, and a Daughter for a Neece, Gen. 29.5. and 24.48. See Josh. 7.24. with ver. 1. A Son for remote Posterity. Hence Christ is called the Son of Abraham and David, Matth. 1.1. &c. See Luk. 19.9. &c.
2. A Proper Name is put for a common as Abraham and Israel for the Patriarchs, Isa. 63.16. Paul and Apollos for any Gospel Ministers, 1 Cor. 3.6. See Rom. 2.17. and 9.19.20. 1 Cor. 7.16. where a speech is directed to one, that concerns all.
3. The Species is put for the Genus; as A Bow and Spear for all kinds of Weapons, Psal. 44.6. —46.10. Zach. 10.4. Gold for any gift, Psal. 72.15. Isa. 60.6. A Lyon for any great Beast, Isa. 15.9. A Command, for any Doctrine, 2 Pet. 2.21. and 3.2. Honey for any sweet thing, Exod. 3.8, 17. and many other places. A Land flowing with milk and honey, Ezek. 20.6, 15. denotes abundance of good things; Bread for any victuals, Gen. 3.19. and 39.6. Matth. 6.11. Luk. 14.1. &c. A Garment for any Necessaries, Isa. 3.6, 7. A Widow and Orphan for any in distress, Exod. 22.21. Jam. 1.27. &c.
4. A certain species of Number, is put for an undetermined Multitude; as two for many, Isa. 40.2. and 61.7. Jer. 16.18. Zach. 9.12. Rev. 18.6. Twice, for as often, Psal. 62.11. Five words are put for a few, 1 Cor. 14.19. and ten thousand words for prolix speech. The Number seven, is frequently put for an indefinite multitude, Lev. 26.18, 21, 24, 28. 1 Sam. 2.5. Sevenfold for a vast number, Gen. 4.24. Matth. 18.22. Ten for many, Gen. 31.7. Numb. 14.22. A Hundred for many; Eccl. 6.3. and 8.12. Prov. 17.10. Matth. 19.29. Thousands for very many, Exod. 20.6. Myriads or ten thousands for a vast Number, 1 Sam. 18.7. See Gen. 24.60. Numb. 10.36. Dan. 7.10. Rev. 5.11. &c.
5. The singular Number is put for the Plural, Gen. 32.5. Exod. 10.12. Judg. 4.5. Job 14.1. Isa. 1.3. and 16.1. Jer. 8.7. Joel 1.4. Matth. 6.17. Rom. 2.28. &c.
6. Special Verbs are put for General. as to go in and out is put for the Actions of life, or for life in general, Num. 27.17, 21. Isa. 37.28. Acts 1.21. &c. To call upon God, is put for Divine Worship, Gen. 4.26. Isa. 43.22. John 4.23, 24. with many others.
7. The Scripture sometimes proposes any thing that's general, by some illustrious species, for evidence sake; as,
(1.) In the Actions of men, Deut. 19.5. The Example of the Ax slipping from the helve, and killing a man by chance, is put for any involuntary man-slaughter. See Psal. 112.5. Prov. 20.10. Matth. 5.22.
(2.) In Precepts and Divine admonitions, Exod. 20. Honour thy Father and thy Mother, denotes reverence to all Superiours. See Exod. 22.22, 26. Exod. 23.4, 5. Deut. 22.3. &c. Lev. 19.14. Prov. 25.21. Rom. 12.20. Luk. 3.11. John 3.14. The washing of feet, denotes all sincere offices of love and humility to each other. See 1 Sam. 25.41. 1 Tim. 5.10.
CHAP. XVI. Of a Synecdoche of the Whole.Synecdoche totius, seu Integri.
A Synecdoche of the whole is, when an Intire or Integer is put for a Member, or the whole for any part. Which may be distinguished as they respect,
(1.) A Person or Men.
(2.) Certain Things.
(3.) Places.
(4.) Times.
1. The whole person is put for part of him, as a man for his Soul, Luk. 16.23. wh…re the Rich man Lazarus and Abraham are put for their Souls. See Luk. 23.43. Man is put for the body, Gen. 3.19. (See Eccl. 12.7.) Gen. 23.19. So Jesus is put for his dead body, John 19.42. and 20.2.13. See ver. 12. and Luk. 24.3.
Sometimes a thing is said of all, which yet concerns not some, as Matth. 19.28. sitting upon twelve Thrones, belongs not to Judas Iscariot, who yet was included because of the Number Twelve. It is said of the Church of Corinth, That they were sanctified by faith in Christ Jesus, called Saints, inriched in all utterance and knowledge, 1 Cor. 1.2, 5. when yet the following Chapters evidence, that there were many Hypocrites and Notorious sinners among them, &c.
2. Part of a thing is put for the whole; Flesh is put for the skin, Psal. 102.5. which text describes extreme leanness. (See Lam. 4.8.) Hence the common Proverb is, he is but skin and bone.
3. A Place is put for part of a place; as the World for the Earth, which is a part of the World, 2 Pet. 3.6. John 12.19 Rom. 1.8. 1 John 5.19. See Chap. 3. Sect. 2. 'Tis put for the Land of Canaan, Rom 4.13. with Numb. 23.13. The whole Earth is put for a great part thereof, Isa. 13.11. For Chaldea, Isa. 13.5. The Land is put for Judaea, Hos. 1.2. and 4.1. Joel. 1.2. For a certain City, Matth. 2.6. and thou Bethlem (foreign) the land of Juda, that is a City of Jud…a.
The East is put for the Medes and Persians, and other Oriental Countries, Ezek 25.4. 1 Kings 4.30. Isa. 2.6. Matth. 2.1. The South for Egypt, with respect to Judaea Jer. 13.19. Dan. 11.5. Sometimes Judaea is so called with respect to Babylon, Ezek. 20.46, 47. The North, for Chaldea, and Babylon, with respect to Judaea, Jer. 1.13, 14, 15. and 13.20. and 47.2. Zeph. 2.13. The Temple is put for the prime Synagogue, Luk. 2.46. See John. 18.20.
4. Time is put for part of time, Gen. 6.4. The Gyants from the Age (so the Hebrew) were men of Renown; that is, of old; Gen. 17.8. I will give unto thee, and thy seed after thee, the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession, that is, whilst the Jewish state remains, viz. to the coming of the Messiah, Gen. 49.10. &c. Exod. 21.6. He shall serve him for ever, that is, to the Year of Jubilee, as the learned expound it. See 2 Sam. 12.10. Jer. 5.15. Dan. 2.4. O King live for ever, that is, we wish you a long Life. See Chap. 6.11. foreign, which signifies Time, is put for a year, or some years, as Causabon thinks, Luk. 20.9.
CHAP. XVII. Of a Synecdoche of the Part.
A Synecdoche of the Member, is when a Member is put for an Integer, or part for the whole, thus distinguisht;
(1.) With respect to men.
(2.) Other Things.
(3.) The Common Accident of things, viz. Time.
(1.) In single men, the Essential parts are put for the whole man; as the Soul (foreign) Nephesh) for man, Gen. 12.5. and 14. and 17.14. Exod. 12.19. Lev. 2.1. Psal. 3.2. and 11.1. and 25.13. Isa. 58.5. Ezek. 18.4. Luk. 6.9. Acts 2.41. and many other places, &c. Sometimes it is said that the Soul may die or be killed, Num. 23.10. Josh. 10.3. Judg. 16.30. Job 36.14. Jon. 4.8. where the body mus… be understood. 'Tis put for any Brute, Gen. 1.24. &c.
A Body is put for man, Exod. 21.3. where the Hebrew, is Body. See Rom. 12.1. 1 Cor. 6.15. Jam. 3.6.
The Integral parts of man, are put for the man or his body or flesh; Gen. 17.13. Psal. 16.9. Prov. 14.30. See Acts 2.26, 31. &c. John 6.51. (which is expounded, Luk. 22.19. 2 Cor. 7.1.) Flesh is put for the whole man, Gen. 6.12. Luk. 3.6. Rom. 3.20. 1 Cor. 1.29. for every living Creature, Gen. 6.13.17. Blood is put for man, Psal. 94.21. Prov. 1.11. Matth. 27.4. Acts 17.26.
The Head] is put for Man, Judges 5.30. 2 Kings 2.3. 2 Sam. 1.16. Acts 18.6. See other Examples, Gen. 19.21. Matth. 13.16. Prov. 8.13. Tit. 1.12. Judges 5.30. Genesis 31.26. Where the Hebrew, is, What hast thou done, that thou hast stol'n away my Heart? When he meant himself, as ver. 27. Chald. Thou hast stole my self.
See Luke 21.34. Proverbs 1.16. And 6.8. Esaiah 52.7. Romans 10.15, &c.
The Tribe of Ephraim is put for all Israel, Esaiah 7.2, 5, 8, 9. And 9.9. because the Royal Seat, viz. Samaria, was in it. So is Joseph (of whom Ephraim descended) Psalm 80.1. And 81.5. See Amos 5.15. And 6.6. Jeremiah 6.1.
The General, is put for the Army, Exodus 17.13. Joshua 10.28, 40. 1 Samuel 18.7.
2. Part of a thing, is put for the intire thing. As foreign a Field for a Land or Country, Genesis 14.7. 1 Samuel. 27.7.
A Corner for a Tower, Zephaniah 1.6. And 3.6. Zachariah 10.4. because it had strong Corners.
The Baptism of John is put for his whole Ministry, Acts 1.22. And 10.37. And 18.25. &c.
A Nail for Tents, because they are fastned with Nails or Stakes, Zach. 10.4.
Stones are put for the intire Building, Psalm 102.14.
The Wall for a City, Amos 1.7, 10, 14. (with ver. 12.) and 2.2, 5.
The Gate for a City, Genesis 22.17. Deuteronomy 12.12. And 14.27. &c. And for the Inhabitants, Ruth 3.11. And 4, 10. Esa. 14.31.
A Rafter is put for a Roof and consequently for a House, Gen. 19.8.
3. Part of Time is put for Time, either Indefinite or Certain.
A Year is put for Time, Esa. 61.2. And 63.4. Jer. 11.23.
A Day is put for Time, Genesis 8.22. 2 Kings 20.1. Psalm 18.18. Matth. 2.1. Acts 5.36. &c.
A Day is put for a Year, when there is no addition of a numeral word, Genesis 40.4. Exodus 13.10. 1 Samuel 1.3. Leviticus 25.29. Judges 17.10. 1 Samuel 27.7. Yet Amos 4.4. 3 days signifies 3 years with respect to the Law, Deut. 14.28.
The Sabbath is put for the whole Week, Luke. 18.12.
The Morning for continual Time, Psal. 73.14. Esaaiah. 33.2. Eccl. 11.6. Lam. 3.23.
Evening and Morning are put for the whole day and night, Gen. 1.5. &c.
An Hour is put for Time, John 4.23. and 5.35. and 16.2. and 17.1.
And for a little space of Time indefinitely, Galatians 2.5. 1 Thess. 2.17. Philem. ver. 15.
CHAP. XVIII. Of a Catachresis.
HItherto we have expounded the Kinds of Tropes, now we are to treat briefly of their Affections. Which are,
Catachresis.
Hyperbole, And an
Allegory.
Which three words signifie in English,
Hardnesse.
Boldnesse. And
Continuation.
foreign, Catachresis, is called in Latin Abusio, an abuse, not as if the Sacred Scripture had abused any words, but because the things that are Catachrestical, differ in some things from the Custom of speaking Tropically, and have a harder utterance and coherence. The Stile of Scripture is most Holy, and pure from any blemish, or undecency, of which take a few examples of a threefold kind.
1. With respect to the acceptation or signification of words, Lev. 26.30. The fragments of Idols are called Carkasses, by a hard Metaphor, alluding to the Carkasses of men, before mentioned, Deut. 16.7. To foreign Boyl is put for Roasting the Paschal Lamb, which was not to be boyled but roasted by the Command of God, Exod. 12.9. &c. Live Flesh (in the Hebrew Text) is put for Raw Flesh, 1 Sam. 2.15. The Water, which the three Worthies of David brought with the peril of their Lives, is called (by a harder Metonymy) their Blood. Job 4.12. Now a word was brought by stealth to me, he speaks of that Angelical Oracle that came secretly to Eliphas. See more examples, Psal. 88.5. Where he calls [forsaken] free, &c. Matth. 12. Rom. 7.23. In dwelling sin, is call'd a Law, because it has a kind of Command upon a man while he lives, unless the power of grace restrains it— See 1 Cor. 11.10. The covering of a womans head, is call'd foreign power, (because it is passively a sign of her being under the Command of the Man,) by a Catachrestical Metonymie.
Sin is called foreign, the Members, which are on the Earth, by a hard Metaphor. See Col. 2.11.
2. With respect to the joyning of the words, when some words (in a Metaphor especially) are joyned together, which seem not so well to correspond, as Exod. 5.21. where it is said to stink in the Eyes, which better agrees with the Nostrils. which denotes great averseness, Exod. 20.18. And all the people saw the Thunder, and Lightnings and the noise of the Trumpet, of which only Lightning, is seen the others are heard. So to see a voice, Rev. 1.12. See more examples, Matth. 7.21, 22. and 10.15. &c. 1 Tim. 6.19. 2 Cor. 5.2. 2 Tim. 2.19. &c.
Note ☞3. With respect to the change of words— This belongs to the writings of the New Testament, and the Greek Tongue, in which certain words are used to signifie different things, because One and the same Hebrew word, (whence that speech was taken), may so signifie. Thus foreign, (Aiones) secula, ages, are put for the World, Heb. 1.6. because the Hebrew foreign signifies both Ages and the World, Eccl. 3.11. foreign, gratis, freely is put for foreign, frustrà, in vain, Gal. 2.21. From the Hebrew word foreign, which signifies both viz. (freely) as opposed to merit, price, or reward, and, (in vain) as it is contradistinguisht, from the hoped effect, or event, Psal. 109.2, 3. See more examples, Rev. 14.8. and 18.3. compared with Job 6.4. Matth. 6.34. A word that signifies Malice, is put for Affliction because the Hebrew word foreign signifies both. See Amos 3.6. See 1 Cor. 15.54. With Amos 1.11. Heb. 11.31. Jam. 2.25. 1 Cor. 2.6. and 14.20. Col. 3.14. and 4.12. 1 John 4.18. &c. with Judges 9.16. and Prov. 11.3. &c.