A Key to Open Scripture Metaphors, Book 1 · Chapter 21 – Conclusion
CHAP. XXI. Of a Paraemia or Proverb.
THE Generical Consideration of a Trope with respect to its continuation we have Treated of in the last Chapter—; The special Consideration of it, we will Treat of in this. Which is either according to common use, and called Paraemia, a Proverb, or an Adagy; or with respect to its obscurity, and is called Aenigma, or a Riddle or obscure Allegory. The Hebrews call it foreign Meshal, Ezek. 16.44. and 18.2. from the Root foreign which takes its signification from Comparing or Ruling, that so foreign may be a Proverb, or a Comparative Speech or Likeness, or as it were foreign, a Ruling Sentence, which has the principal place in a speech, and by its weight and gravity it makes it more Illustrious—. VVhat other Acceptations this word hath, shall be shewn (with Divine Assistance) in the second Volume of this Book. To the Sense we hold to, the word foreign 2 Pet. 2.22. exactly agrees,foreign which some think is derived foreign, a via, from, or out of the way, that is, a departing from the vulgar or Common way of speaking, or as others think from foreign, *beyond or besides the word.praeter vel juxta primum verbum (for foreign signifies also a Verb) and from its sense is, as it were, another word and sense, as a Proverb is call'd.
In Proverbs words properly taken, or Tropes or their Affections are used; which last only concerns us in this Place. And both are either intire Sentences or Proverbial Phrases, which by common use, are brought into a sentence.
Proverbial sentences.Proverbial Sentences are to be read in Gen. 10.9. and 22.14. Numb. 21.27. 1 Sam. 10.12. and 24.14. 2 Sam. 5.8. and 20.18. Jer. 31.29. Ezek. 16.44. and 18.2. Luk 4.23. John. 4.37. 2 Pet. 2.22. in which places the holy Spirit expresly affirms that those sentences are become Proverbs. There are other phrases foreign, to which the Title of Proverbs is not annexed, yet because of their Emphaticalness, they are so esteem'd: as Deut. 25.4. 1 Kings 8.46. and 20.11. 2 Chron. 25 9. Job 6.5. and 14.19. and 27.19. and 28.18. Psal. 42.7. —62.9. Such is that famous Sentence, Psal. 111.10. The fear of the Lord, is the beginning of Wisdom: See Prov. 1.7. and 9.10. with Job 28.25.28. There are many in the Book called foreign the Proverbs of Solomon, as Prov. 1.17, 32. —3.12. —6.6, 27. —10.5, 13, 19, 25. —11.15, 22, 27. —12.11, 15. —15.2, 53. —17.1, 10, 19, 28. —19.2, 24. —20.4, 11, 14, 21, 25. —22.6, 13. —25.11, 16, 27. —26.4, 10, 11, 14, 17, 28. —27.6, 7, 8, 10, 14, 17, 22. —28.21. —30.15. &c.
So in the Book of Ecclesiastes; Chap. 1.15, 18. —4.5, 12. —5.2, 6, 8, 9, 10. —6.9. —7.17. —9.4, 18. —10.1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 19, 20. —11.3, 4, 6, 7. —12.12.
In the Prophets, Jer. 13.23. —23.28. Ezek. 7.5. Micah 7.5, 6. Habak. 2.6. Mal. 2.10. &c.
In the New Testament; Matth. 5.13, 14, 15. —6.3, 21, 24, 34. —7.2, 5, 16. —9.12, 16. —10.10, 22, 24, 26. —12.34. —13.12, 57. —15.14. —23.23. —24.28. Mark 9.50. Luk. 9.62. —12.48. —23.31. Act. 9.5. —20.35. 1 Cor. 5.6. —10.12. —15.33. 2 Cor. 9.6, 7. 2 Thess. 3.10. Tit. 1.15.
Here we must note that Christ and his Apostles used several Proverbs, or vulgar wayes of speaking, common to the Jews, which were partly written in their old Books, yea even in the Talmud, as Matthew 7.2. Mark 4.24. Luke 6.38. With the same measure ye mete, the same shall be measured to you again, which is in the Talmud tract. Sanhedrim in these words, foreign By the same measure which ye shall measure, others will measure to you again. 'Tis very plain in the Targum Hierosolymitanum, Genesis 38. in these words; By what measure a man measures, by the same will others Measure to him; as to good Measure or bad measure. So the sentence, Matthew 19.24. It is easier for a Camel, &c. is in the Talmud as Ang. Caninius says; only it is said there, that an Elephant cannot go through the Eye of a needle, for which Elephant, (a Beast known to few) Christ said a Camel, a Beast well known in Syria. And the phrase, Luke 6.42. Buxtorfius in Glossatore Talmudico says, is also in the Talmud. And 2 Thessalonians 3.10. If any will not work, neither shall he eat— Drusius, 2 Tract. in Gen. magn. Bereschith Rabba Tract. Talmud: says the same phrase is the Talmud. And doubtless the Apostle thence took it. See Adag. sacra. written by Zelmer from the whole Bible in 5. Centur.
Of Proverbial phrases. See examples, Exodus 11.7.Proverbial phrases. That a dog should not move his tongue, was a Proverbial speech, denoting profound silence and peace in that place. Some refer this to a Meiosis. See 1 Samuel 25.22, 34. 1 Kings 14.10. And 16.11. 2 Kings 9.8. which last was also a Proverbial phrase, denoting extreme destruction, even to the vilest Animal.
See other Proverbial Speeches, 2 Kings 14.26. Deuteronomy 32.36. Esth. 1.22. Job. 16.10. Psal. 3.7. Lam. 3.39. Micah 4.14.
See Esaiah 3.15. 2 Corinthians 11.10. And 12.7. Matthew 5.39. Luke 6.29. with 1 Kings 22.24. John 18.22. Acts 23.2. 1 Corinthians 4.11. Prov. 26.17. And 28.21. Ezek. 13.19. Matthew 3.11. John 1 27. Matthew 23.24. Acts 9.5. And 26.14.
To kick against the Pricks, was a Proverbial speech, Acts 5.39. See Acts 23.9. The phrase 1 Cor. 13.15.
But he shall be saved yet so as by Fire, is a Proverbial speech, as if he had scap'd from a Conflagration. That is, as Illyricus says, *Clav. Script. Col. 870.such a Teacher is together with his stubble in the midst of a terrible incendium (or fire) these being condemned by the Judgment of God, shall perish, but he by the singular favour of God, shall be preserved though with much hazzard and difficulty. See Zachariah 3.2. Amos 4.11. &c.
CHAP. XXII. Of an Aenigma.
IN a continued Trope, if there be a singular obscurity 'tis called foreign, Aenigma, which signifies an obscure question, a knotty or dark speech; 'tis derived of foreign, which signifies to hint obscurely, and, as it were, to speak in the dark. And that comes from foreign, which amongst other things denotes not only praise, but a saying worthy of praise and admiration, because it is a symbolical and sinewy way of expression. It is said of the Queen of Sheba, 1 Kings 10.1. That she came to try Solomon with hard questions, that is, Aenigma's, such as we treat of. See Ezek. 17.2. Psal. 78.2. with 49.4. &c.
Judg. 14.14. Samson says to his guests— out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness— this is a continued Synecdoche, with the addition of a Metonymie. By the Eater and Strong is meant a Lyon, by a Synecdoche of the Genus, by sweetness, honey, by a metonymie of the Adjunct as ver. 18. Vossius after he had called this an Aenigma lib. 4. instit▪ orat. c. 11. thinks it was not really so, because it was unknown to the Philistines, that Samson had kill'd a Lion, or got honey out of his Carkass, being a thing he had told to no person as Judg. 14.7, 10, 17. Psal. 49.5. I will fear in the evil day the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about — the question is, what this evil day is, and what is the sin or iniquity of the heels? As to the first R. Aben Ezra, by Evil day, understands old age compared with Eccl. 12.1. In this sence, why should I trouble my self with the cares of this world, for the solicitude of old age? R. Kimchi would have it in this sence, why should I be solicitous for the Riches of this World, which are its Glory? R. Salomo joyning this with the next verse, thus expounds it— The sins, which I do (as it were) trample upon with my heels, and esteem light transgressions, yet in it the judgment of God condemn me, how much more do Riches condemn such as trust in them? See Eccl. 9.10. &c.
Glas. rhet. sacra. p. 508.Prov. 26.10. Is a very perplext Text, and rendered variously by Interpreters, which we leave to the inquiry of the Learned. Erasmus calls that parabolical passage Matth. 12.43, 44, 45. Luke 11.24, 25, 26. an Aenigma, upon which see his Paraphrase.
lib. 1. parall. 8.To Conclude Frarciscus Junius says, that an Aenigma, is an obscure Parable or Allegory, which is more difficultly understood. Hence every Parable or Allegory is not to be reputed an Aenigma; but every Aenigma is an Allegory, &c.
The Conclusion.
SO much of Tropes. Our next work is to treat in the same Order of all the Schemes or Figures in Scripture, which if the Divine Goodness will permit, shall be largely expounded in the Second Volume; where we will also give a particular Treatise of all the Types, Parables, and Allegories in Scripture, with the Expositions of the Learned upon such as are obscure, as also a Continuation of Metaphors practically improv'd in a Parallel-way, which will compleat this Work, and could not be brought in here, because we are confin'd to a certain number of Sheets, and a certain Time to Answer the expectation of such Worthy Persons as have Subscribed for the encouragement of so heavy a Work, which we now leave to the blessing of the Lord.
FINIS.
ΤΡΟΠΟΛΟΓΙΑ: A KEY TO OPEN Scripture-Metaphors.
Wherein the most Significant TROPES, (As METAPHORS, &c.) And Express SIMILITUDES, Respecting the Father, Son, & Holy-Spirit, As also such as respect the Sacred Word of God, Are opened, and Parallel-wise applied, together with the Disparities: From which Practical Inferences are deduced, for Edification of the Reader.
By B. K.
Hosea 12.10.
I have used Similitudes. foreign Proposui Similitudines.
John 3.12.
If I have told you earthly things, and ye believed not; how shall ye believe, if I should tell you of heavenly Things?
foreign?
Si terrena dixi vobis, & non creditis; quomodo, si dixero vobis caelestia, credetis?
LONDON; Printed by J. D. for Enoch Prosser, at the Rose and Crown in Sweetings-Alley, near the Royal-Exchange, in Cornhill. MDCLXXXI.