01.01.01.01. CHAPTER I: OF A METONYMY OF THE CAUSE
CHAPTER I: OF A METONYMY OF THE CAUSE A Metonymy
There are four kinds of Metonymies, answering to the four kinds of causes, viz.
1. Efficient.
2. Material.
3. Formal.
4. Final. A Metonymy of the Cause is used in scripture, when, 1. The person acting is put for the thing done.
2. When the instrument by which a thing is done, is put for the thing effected.
3. When a thing or action is put for the effect produced by that action, of which in order.
1. The Person acting for the Thing acted or effected.
1. THE HOLY SPIRIT is put for his effects and operations, as 2 Corinthians 3:6, "Who hath made us able ministers of the New Testament, not of the letter, but of the Spirit, for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life." Where by the term letter, we are to understand the law written in tables of stone, which required perfect obedience, and which no man can perform because of corruption, therefore that law can pronounce nothing but a sentence of death: but by Spirit is meant the saving doctrine of the gospel, which derives its original from the Spirit (considered as a most merciful Comforter) who sets it home upon the soul, fitting and preparing it thereby for eternal life; suitable to John 6:63. "The words that I speak are spirit and life; that is, they are from the Spirit of God, and being received by faith confer salvation, through the grace of God, Romans 8:2. "By the law of the Spirit of life," as Illyricus says
2. The Holy Spirit is put for regeneration, Psalms 51:10, "Renew a right spirit within me." Ezekiel 36:26, "A new spirit will I put within you." Hence the apostle says, "Be ye renewed in the spirit," etc., Ephesians 4:23, Which is expounded, Romans 12:2, "Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind," etc. Hence arises an opposition of flesh and spirit, John 3:6, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit," where
More especially the Spirit is put for those peculiar or extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, which for various uses, whether public or private, spiritual or external, are bestowed on man, as Numbers 11:17, "I will take off (or separate part of, for so the Hebrew is) the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them," (viz., the seventy Elders, who, as verse 25 (Numbers 11:25) thereupon, "prophesied and did not cease,") upon which Vatablus says, "The Lord so abstracted from the spirit of Moses, that he took away nothing, as one candle" (which Rab. Salomon calls a most elegant similitude) lights several, yet loses nothing of "its original light." To this may the request of Elisha be referred, 2 Kings 2:9, "I pray thee let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me," where there is an evident allusion to the right of primogeniture, or first-born, Deuteronomy 21:17, where the first-born was to have a double portion, etc.; as if Elisha had said, "I am your first disciple, received into your school, therefore ask of God a greater measure of spirit for me, than any one of your disciples." "Daniel had a more excellent spirit," (Daniel 5:12, with Daniel 6:3, for so the Hebrew text runs) and more knowledge and understanding, etc., than the presidents and princes, that is, more excellent and higher gifts of the Spirit, see Luke 1:17, Luke 1:80, and Luke 2:40; Acts 19:2; John 7:39; Acts 1:5. To this may be referred, what is spoken of revelations, visions, or ecstacies, whether if real or pretended, as Ezekiel 37:1, "The hand of the Lord carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord;" that is, by a vision, or rapture of spirit, so 2 Thessalonians 2:2, "That ye be not shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as from us," etc., that is, by revelations, which are pretended to come from the Spirit,’ so Revelation 1:10, "I was in the Spirit, that is, in an ecstacy or immediate revelation of the Spirit," as 2 Corinthians 12:2; Revelation 4:2, etc., and Revelation 17:3, and Revelation 21:10, is described. The Spirit is also put for doctrines revealed from heaven, whether alhqwj truly, or docastikwj by vain boasting so pretended, as 1 Corinthians 14:32, "The spirits of prophets are subject to the prophets," that is, the doctrine, or scripture interpretation proposed by some prophets, are subject to the judgment of the rest; for it would favour of haughtiness, ambition, and disdain for any individual to usurp an infallibility, and reject the judgment of the brethren, as 1 Corinthians 14:29, "Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. If anything be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace,; 1 John 4:1. We are thus exhorted, "Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits," etc. The marks of what are given, verses the second and third, ect. Here it is evident that the Spirit is put for doctrine, whether really revealed or pretended to be so. And by seducing spirits, 1 Timothy 4:1, are meant false teachers, that pretend their doctrine to be from God’s Spirit, but is indeed of the devil.
Parents or ancestors are put for their children, or posterity, as Genesis 9:27, Japhet and Shem, Jacob and Israel, for the Israelites, Exodus 5:2; Numbers 23:21, and Numbers 24:5, Numbers 24:17; Deuteronomy 33:28, etc. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, of whom according to the flesh, Christ came, are put for Christ, Genesis 12:3. "In thee, [which the Chaldee translates "for thee," and the Targ. Jerusal. "In thy righteousness or holiness"! shall all the families of the earth be blessed." And Genesis 18:18, "All the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him," which is meant of his seed,
1. This term is sometimes put for the whole person of man, consisting of soul and body, Genesis 46:27; Acts 27:37; en tw ploiw ai pasai yuxai"All the souls in the ship." (2.) For the body only, Psalms 105:18, "Iron enter into his soul," we translate it, "He was laid in iron," that is, the iron fetters made dints in his flesh. (3.) It is put for life (as, before) Psalms 94:21, and Psalms 7:1-2, Psalms 7:5. (4.) It is put for a carcase, Leviticus 19:28, "Ye shall not make any cutting in your flesh for the dead," the Hebrew is, "for the soul;" and so it is taken, Leviticus 21:1, and Haggai 2:4. (5.) It is put for the rational soul, Psalms 19:7; Deuteronomy 11:18, etc.
2. The soul is put for the will, affections, and desires, which are operations of the soul, as Genesis 23:8, "If it be your mind," in the Hebrew it is "with your soul," as Psalms 27:12, and Psalms 41:3, and Psalms 105:22. The Septuagint translates it, "If ye have in your soul," the Chaldee,"if it be the pleasure of your soul." So Exodus 23:9, "Ye know the heart of a stranger," Heb. the "soul of a stranger," that is, his mind or affection. See Deuteronomy 23:24; 1 Kings 19:3; 2 Kings 7:7; Psalms 17:10, and Psalms 27:12, and Psalms 41:3; Proverbs 23:2; Jeremiah 34:16; John 20:24, ewj pote ton yuxhn hmwn aireij, "how long dost thou hold our soul in suspense?" That is, as our translation hath it, "how long dost thou make us to doubt?"
It may be referred hither, when the Spirit, which is often put for man’s soul, is used to express the motions or affections of the soul, whether good or evil, as Genesis 45:27, "The spirit of Jacob their father revived;" Numbers 14:24, "My servant Caleb had another spirit;" Judges 8:3, "Their anger was abated," it is in the Hebrew "their spirit was abated;" 2 Chronicles 21:16,"The Lord stirred up the spirit of the Philistines," etc.; 2 Chronicles 36:22,"The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus," etc., see Psalms 76:12, and Psalms 77:4; Proverbs 1:23, and Proverbs 18:4, and Proverbs 29:11; Ecclesiastes 7:9; Isaiah 29:10, and Isaiah 37:7; Jeremiah 51:11; Ezekiel 13:6; Daniel 5:20; Haggai 1:14; Habakkuk 1:11; Romans 11:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12, etc., "God hath given the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear." "Now, you have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God," etc.
2. The Organical Cause or Instrument is put for the Thing effected by it. The mouth is put for speech, or testimony, as Deuteronomy 27:6, "At the mouth of two or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death he put to death, but at the mouth of one witness, he shall not be put to death," that is, by the witness or testimony of two or three etc., so Deuteronomy 19:15, "One witness shall not arise against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses "shall the matter be established" which is expounded, Matthew 18:16, and John 8:17.
2. The mouth is put for a command or prescription, Genesis 45:21, "And Joseph gave them wagons according to the mouth of Pharaoh," etc, that is, as we translate it, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, Exodus 17:1, "And the children of Israel journeyed according to the mouth, that is, the commandment of the Lord." So Numbers 3:16, Numbers 3:39, and Numbers 20:24, and Numbers 27:14; Deuteronomy 1:26, Deuteronomy 1:43, and Deuteronomy 34:5, "So Moses the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, according to the mouth of the Lord," that is, according to the word of the Lord. Upon which, Sanctius says in his comment on Isaiah 49:1-26, "Therefore they do not rightly judge, who from the Hebrew reading say, that Moses died in the kiss of the Lord: for that tradition is not from the Hebrew text, but from the Targum, which is attributed to Jonath. Uziel, who renders peh, (this is Strongs #6310) at the mouth of the Lord, ad osculum verbi domini, that is, according to the kiss of the mouth of the Lord. But what is spoken of the mouth of the Lord, is better to be referred to the Trope Anthropopathia, of which we shall hear hereafter. The tongue is put for speech, Proverbs 25:15, "A soft tongue breaketh the bones," that is, a mild, civil, and courteous speech so Jeremiah 28:17, Jeremiah 28:7
Proverbs 17:7, "A lip of excellency does not become a fool, much less a lip of lying, a prince; that is, a worthy and excellent speech does not become, or is not to be expected a fool, much less should a noble or brave mind tell lies.
Isaiah 33:19,"A people of a deeper lip," so the Hebrew,"than thou canst perceive," such as speak so obscurely, that you cannot understand them; as Pagniuus renders it. See Proverbs 12:19. "The lip of truth shall be established for ever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment." Job 12:20,"He removeth away the lip of the faithful," &c. so it is in the Hebrew. The palate is put for speech, Proverbs 5:2, "For the lips of a strange woman drop as a honey-comb," "and her palate," so the Hebrew, "is smoother than oil;" that is, her words or speech. The throat is put also for loud speaking, Isaiah 58:1, "Cry with the throat," so the Hebrew,"spare not," etc., by which the organ of crying or speaking is to be understood, for the explication follows, viz, "lift up thy voice like a trumpet;" and what the scope or argument of that loud speech, or shrill cry, was to be, is added in these words, "and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins." The hand is put for actions done by it, where there is also a Synecdoche, for by the actions of the hands, some other things, as also principles or beginnings of actions, are understood, as counsel, machination, or contrivance; thought, endeavours, care, etc., as 1 Samuel 22:17, "Slay the priests of the Lord, for their hand is also with David," that is, they help him with their counsel, so 2 Samuel 3:12, and 2 Samuel 14:19; 1 Kings 10:29; Psalms 7:4; Isaiah 1:15. The hand is put for writing, 1 Corinthians 16:21, "The salutation of me, Paul, with mine own hand," that is, mine own writing, and Colossians 4:18, "The salutation by the hand" (that is, the writing) "of me," Paul. This is ordinary, (viz., for a man’s, writing to be called his hand) among the Greeks as Pollux and Suidas say, and among the Latins, see Cicero lib. vii. Epist, ad Attic, as also in our own language. The hand is put for a gift reached by the hand, Psalms 68:32, "Ethiopia shall make her hands run to God," so the Hebrew, that is, Ethiopia shall speedily transmit her gifts; as Psalms 72:10; Isaiah 60:6, to which relates that of Pliny8
Sometimes it is also a Metaphor, Deuteronomy 22:9, "For the Lord’s portion is his people, Jacob is the cord of his inheritance," that is, a people peculiar to himself, and separated or divided from, the world, see Psalms 16:6, "The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places, yea, I have a goodly heritage." Our Saviour, who is here speaking by the prophet, uses this metaphor to express the figure or delineation of the church, etc. Hence it is said, 2 Corinthians 10:15-16, "Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men’s labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly to preach the Gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line or rule of things made ready to our hand," where kanwn regula, a rule, signifies that space measured by it, as if God had divided the world among the apostles, that they should preach in their particular and respective precincts or allotted places.
Money is put for property or estate purchased by money, Exodus 21:21, "For he is his money," that is, he purchased or bought him with his money, and is to him as good as money.
3. A Thing or Action is put for the Effect produced by that Thing or Action. This kind of Metonymy is to be found distinctly in nouns and verbs, of which we are to note, that some are referred hither, analogwj or by way of analogy, in which as I may speak, there is a susshmasia, connotation, or consignification, that is, when the thing or action is not to be understood strictly for the effect, but together with its effect and consequent. In nouns; certain terms which signify affection are put for their effects, as 1 John 3:1, "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God." The emphasis is great here, as if Jehovah had said that he hath graciously given us his own very love, whilst he adopts us into the privilege of sonship. By bestowing this blessing he bestows himself, and makes himself one with us, "for he is love," 1 John 4:8.
Mercy is put for the benefit and commiseration that proceeds from it, Genesis 20:13, and Genesis 32:1, "I am less than the (or I am not worthy of the) least of thy mercies," 2 Chronicles 35:16. By the same trope the Greeks call elehmosunhn,
Anger is put for punishment or vengeance which proceeds from anger, Psalms 79:6, "Pour out thy wrath (or anger) upon the heathen," etc., Micah 7:9, "I will bear the anger or indignation of the Lord," etc., Romans 2:5, "But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasureth up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath," etc. See Romans 3:5, and Romans 4:15, and Romans 13:4-5; Ephesians 5:6, etc.
Anger is put for a command given in anger, 1 Samuel 28:18, "Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath (or anger) upon Amalek," etc.
Judgment is put for punishment and castigation or correction, Exodus 6:6, "I will redeem you (Israelites) with great judgments," that is, great punishments upon Pharaoh. Proverbs 19:29, "Judgments (that is, punishments) are prepared for scorners," etc.-when I send my sore judgments upon Jerusalem, that is, punishments, etc. See Ezekiel 14:21; Romans 2:3; 1 Corinthians 11:29; 1 Peter 4:17; it is put for condemnation, Jeremiah 26:1; John 3:18-19; 2 Peter 2:3; in 1 Corinthians 11:29, it is said,
"He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation," but in the Greek it is krima which signifies judgment.
Sin, with the synonymous terms, is put for the punishment of sin, Genesis 19:15, "The angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife and thy two daughters which are here, lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city," that is, in the punishment of the city, Psalms 7:16, "His sin (or mischief) shall return upon his own head," that is, the merited or condign punishment. See Jeremiah 14:16; Sir 14:19. With a verb, that signifies to bear or carry, it intimates the guilt and conviction that precedes punishment, which must certainly follow, as Exodus 28:43; Leviticus 5:1, and Leviticus 20:20, and Leviticus 22:9; Numbers 14:33; Ezekiel 23:35, Ezekiel 23:49, and Ezekiel 18:20, and other places.
Work is put for its reward, Leviticus 19:13, "The work of him that is hired," so the Hebrew, "shall not abide with thee all night, until the morning," Jeremiah 22:13; Revelation 14:13, "That they may rest from their labours, and their works follow them." Sometimes it is put for the merit of the work, Romans 11:6,"And if by grace, then it is no more of works; otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace; otherwise work is no more work," here grace and work, that is to say, merit, are opposed to each other.
Divination, or augury, XXXX (qecem-English de) is put for the price and reward of it, Numbers 22:7. And "The divinations XXXX were in their hands," that is, as in our translation, the rewards of divination, which were to be given to Balaam.
Labour is put for the profit or fruit it produces, Deuteronomy 28:33, "All thy labours shall a nation which thou knowest not, eat up." Psalms 78:46, "He gave their labour unto the locust." Psalms 105:44, "They inherited the labour of the people." Psalms 128:2, "For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands." Proverbs 5:10; Ecclesiastes 2:19; Isaiah 14:14; Jeremiah 3:24; Ezekiel 23:29. Hunting is put for venison, got by hunting, Genesis 25:28, "And Isaac loved Esau because he did eat of his hunting," that is, his venison. See Genesis 27:3. So much of nouns. There are some Metonymies in verbs, as verbs of knowing, and such as betoken affection or operation, of which kind are,
Verbs that signify to know, which besides the bare gnwsin, or knowing, denote the motions, affections, and effects, that are joined with knowledge, as Psalms 90:11, "Who knoweth the power of thine anger?" that is, who considers, or regards the power of thine anger? so as to awake from the sleep of sin, and seriously to repent! "Israel doth not know," etc., Isaiah 1:3, that is, considers not, nor takes notice of the blessings the Lord gave it. Jeremiah 8:7; Luke 19:41; John 8:43, "Why do ye not know my speech, "that is, approve it, and with a faithful assent receive it? the answer of Christ (giving the reason of this) follows, viz., "Even because ye cannot hear my words," that is, so understand them, as to embrace and close with them, for through the devil’s blinding of you, and your wilful choice, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do." To know, is put for approbation, as. Romans 7:15, "For that which I do, I know not, "that is, as our translation hath it, allow not, Revelation 2:24, "But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine," and which have not known the depths of Satan (that is have not approved of his snares and deep temptations). To be conscious signifies more than barely to know, which differ as much as knowledge and conscience, as Psalms 35:11, "False witnesses did rise up, and they asked me things); that I knew not," that is, of which I am not conscious to myself, as Psalms 51:3, "Because I know mine iniquities, and my sin is ever before me; "where the prophet includes the terror of conscience, and serious contrition, 2 Corinthians 5:21, it is said, "He (that is, God the Father) hath made him (that is, Christ) to be sin for us, who knew no sin," that is, who was not guilty of any sin, for he was most perfectly holy, and without sin so that he was made sin in this sense, viz., the Father imputed our sins to him, according to Isaiah 53:6, "And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all," or hath made the iniquities of us all to meet on him, etc. To know is put for estimation, or judgment with anything with respect to it’s value or worth, as 2 Corinthians 5:16, "Henceforth know we no man after the flesh," that is, we do not value or esteem any man for external things, as riches, poverty, honour, disgrace, legal privileges, etc., after which follows, "yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth we know him, (viz., that way) no more;" he speaks of the estimation of Christ carnally or in a fleshly way, viz., in that state of humility wherein he was placed during his sojourning here for in that respect we shall know him no more, but in his state of exaltation, grace, and glory, we shall know, that is, value, esteem, and prize him; not for any legal derivation, or pedigree, with respect to his human nature, hut because he is the great Saviour and Intercessor exalted to glory at the right hand of the Father, from whom we expect our great and glorious deliverance, etc. To this belongs that phrase, Proverbs 24:23, "It is not good to know the face of judgment; in which is a proswpolhyia, viz., and respecting of persons, or an estimation or judgment by external appearance without respect to equity; Proverbs 23:24, "He that saith unto the wicked thou art righteous, him shall the people curse," etc., that is, from a wroswpolhyia, or a partial respect of persons, whereas we are advised, Proverbs 25:21, "If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat: and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink for thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee; "this is a right Gospel spirit, because it is so far from a revengeful retaliation, that it commands good for evil. That which is said by Moses in his publication of the commands of God, Deuteronomy 1:17, viz., "Ye shall not know faces in judgment," so the Hebrew. Deuteronomy 16:19,
"Thou shalt not wrest judgment, thou shalt not know persons;" and Job 34:19, "That accepteth not (or knows not) the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor, is a speech of Jehovah, and agrees with Acts 10:34, "Of a truth I perceive that God is no Respecter of persons."
2. Verbs of cognition, or knowledge, also concern the will and affections of the heart. And so to know is to love, cherish, and take care for, etc., as Exodus 1:8, "And there arose a new king, which knew not Joseph," that is, he regarded him not, nor the good acts which he had done in the kingdom; the Chaldee says, "One that did not confirm the decree of Joseph," so Genesis 39:6; Judges 2:10; Proverbs 12:10, and Proverbs 29:7; 1 Thessalonians 5:12. In other places edy to know is of the same signification, as Deuteronomy 33:9; Rth 2:10, Ruth 2:19; Psalms 142:4-5. By a special and singular manner of the Holy Spirit’s speaking, the phrase to know is attributed to God, which denotes his special providence, love, and paternal care, as Exodus 2:25, "And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God knew them, that is, as we translate it, he had respect unto them, 1 Chronicles 17:18; Psalms 1:5-6, and Psalms 37:17-18; Jeremiah 1:5, and Jeremiah 24:5; Amos 3:2, (see Deuteronomy 4:20,) John 10:27; 1 Corinthians 8:3; 2 Timothy 2:19, etc. This term to know, denotes also a true and hearty confidence (plhroforia) or a certain persuasion, faith, or assurance, given by the Holy Spirit to men endued with a saving faith, as Job 19:25, "I know, that my Redeemer liveth," that is, I have an absolute faith and confidence that it is so, and acquiesce in it, etc. To know the name of the Lord, is by true faith to adhere to him, Psalms 9:10, "For they that know thy name will put their trust in thee." To know the Lord, is to believe and hope in him,"Jeremiah 9:26, and Jeremiah 31:24; Hosea 2:20; John 17:3, etc. "This is the knowledge by which many shall be justified;" Isaiah 53:11, "The knowledge of salvation," Luke 1:77.
3. The very work or act, when to know, is put for to be able, or the interior faculty of operation, which is the principle of actions. Isaiah 56:10-11, "His watchmen are greedy dogs which can never have enough," the Hebrew says, which knew not fulness. "Shepherds that cannot understand;" or as the Hebrew has it, that knew not to understand; the meaning is, that for their covetousness, they cannot be satisfied, and for their blindness and want of skill, cannot comprehend divine things aright.
It is said, Matthew 7:11, "If ye then being evil,
It is put for an experimental sense of a fact done, Mark 5:29, kai egnw tw swmati etc., et scivit corpore, and [she knew in her body], in our translation it is, "she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague." Hence by the same trope, or manner of speaking, it is said of Christ, verse 30, (Mark 5:30) "And Jesus epignouj en eautw, cognoscens in semitipso" knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, that is, feeling and experiencing it." 1 Corinthians 4:19, "I will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power," that is, I will experience how strong they are in the faith, what zeal they have, and how powerfully the Holy Spirit has influenced them.
More especially by the term knowing, conjugal society is noted, as Genesis 4:1, and Genesis 19:5, Genesis 19:8; Numbers 31:17; Matthew 1:25; Luke 1:34. This was common with the Greeks and Latins, as Pluto, in Alex. Neque aliam egnw cognoscebat mulierem, that is, he knew no other woman. Horat. Ignara mariti, ignorant of a husband. To remember is put for the will and desire, Hebrews 11:15, "If they had remembered that country from whence they came, they might have had opportunity to have returned," that is, if they had a mind or desire to have returned thither, etc., which exposition is cleared in the following verse, viz., "But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly." See Isaiah 44:21; John 2:7. So Son 1:4, "We will remember thy love more than wine," that is, by true faith and sincere love, we will cleave to thee for the great affection thou hast vouchsafed us, which we esteem above all that is delightsome and precious (for such things are synecdochically noted by wine) in this world; for the upright love thee, that is, the regenerate sons of God, who truly know, and love Christ, and in life follow him, 2 Timothy 2:8, 2 Timothy 2:19; Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24-25. In a word, to remember Christ is in a due and faithful sense and apprehension to be united to him, and to live to him alone; whereas, on the contrary, To forget God imports unbelief, wickedness and stubbornness of heart, as Hosea 4:6, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge : "Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me; seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.- See 2 Peter 1:9; James 1:25, Ezra 22:12, etc.
Sometimes to remember signifies a consequent speech, or an external real effect, as Esther 2:1, "Ahasuerus remembered Vashto," when by the second verse it is evident that he was discoursing of her with his ministers. Ezra 23:19, "Yet she multiplied her whoredoms in calling to mind the days of her youth," etc., that is, both calls to mind, and in that very act exercises her former spiritual whoredom. In what sense remembrance and oblivion are attributed to God, will be seen hereafter.
Verbs of affections, as to love or to hate, are put for the actions themselves, which either really, or according to the custom or opinions of men, are the results of such affections. The verbs odi and diligo, to hate and love, do sometimes denote contrary affections.
1. To love signifies seeking and desiring, as Luke 11:43, "Ye love," that is, ye seek or desire the uppermost seats," etc., John 3:36, and John 12:43; 2 Timothy 4:8.
It is put for to be wont, as Matthew 6:5, "Hypocrites love (that is, they are wont) to pray standing."
See Psalms 11:5; Proverbs 21:17; 2 Timothy 4:10, "Demas hath forsaken me, (agaphsaj) having loved this present world," which Erasmus well renders hath embraced this present world; that is, Demas would not be a companion of sufferers, but his desire and seeking was to have good and happy days in this world.
2. To love signifies to prefer, regard, or take care of one thing more than another, to which, to hate, is opposed, which signifies disregard, less care, and neglect of one thing more than another, as Genesis 29:31, with verse Genesis 29:30; John 12:25, "He that loveth his life
It is said, Luke 14:26, "If any man come unto me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own soul (yuxhn) also "he cannot be my disciple." This text doth not enjoin us to hate our relations (for we are commanded to love even our enemies,) Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:27; but the meaning is, that he that can or will prefer the comfort of society of his natural relations before Christ and his Gospel, is not worthy to be his disciple. See Psalms 119:16-17; Proverbs 8:36, and Proverbs 17:19, and Proverbs 13:24.
3. It denotes a declaration of an external gesture, which is wont to be the result of love, as Mark 10:21, "Then Jesus beholding him loved him" hgaphsen auton, which signifies not that Christ approved his answer, or had therefore any singular or peculiar respect for him, but, as it were sweetly smiled upon him, looking upon his talk to be childish and ridiculous, even as we smile upon children, when they prattle of such things as are in themselves simple.
Verbs of operation, as to do, are put for acquisition or gain, which is the effect of action and labour, as Genesis 12:5, "The souls they had made in Charan," that is, acquired or gotten there, Genesis 30:30, "And now when shall I
Brass is put for fetters or shackles made of brass, Amos 3:7
Gold and silver
2. For money or current coin, Genesis 23:9, Genesis 23:16; Genesis 24:22; 2 Kings 5:5; 1 Chronicles 21:22, 1 Chronicles 21:24; Genesis 20:16; Deuteronomy 22:19, Deuteronomy 22:29. Cedar is put for cedar-work, or tables made of that wood, Zephaniah 2:14. Iron is put for an ax, 2 Kings 6:5. For fetters, Psalms 105:18. Corn is put for bread, Amos 2:12, with Amos 4:4. Wood and stone are put for vessels made of them, Exodus 7:19. Stone is put for an idol made of stone, Jeremiah 2:27, and Jeremiah 3:9. And for a pound weight, Deuteronomy 25:13; 2 Samuel 14:26; Proverbs 11:1. See more examples, Isaiah 34:11; Ecclesiastes 4:10, and Ecclesiastes 5:8; Genesis 28:11, Genesis 28:18, Genesis 28:22. Wood is put for a house made of wood, Jeremiah 21:14, "I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof," that is, in the house of Jehovah, in the house of the king, and in the houses of the nobles, which were built of precious materials brought from the forest of Lebanon, Jeremiah 22:7; 2 Kings 25:9; 2 Chronicles 36:19; Jeremiah 52:13, etc.
